The Meghalaya high court took suo motu cognizance of the violence during the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) black-flag bike rally in Shillong hours after the Centre approved deployment of deployment of four companies of CRPF and one company of Rapid Action Force (RAF) in the state till August 25, officials said.
The administration has also revoked permission for the KSU’s proposed agitation on Friday, while police have registered a separate FIR over a petrol bomb allegedly hurled at security personnel during a raid on the KSU office in Jaiaw. The court directed the state government to take immediate steps to restore peace and directed it to submit a detailed action-taken report by August 24, when the matter will come up for hearing. Three KSU leaders arrested on Wednesday night were and remanded in 14-day judicial custody on Thursday, the officials said. “31 vehicles were vandalized, people walking on the streets were beaten up without any reason, and a bus ferrying children was also affected during the protest. The KSU’s five-point charter centres on action over the July 31 public hearing for Shree Cement in East Jaiñtia Hills, implementation of the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act, 2016 until an Inner Line Permit (ILP) is introduced, facilitation centres at all 18 entry points in the Khasi and Jaiñtia Hills, implementation of the amended Migrant Workmen Act, 2020, and recruitment reforms.
In view of the deteriorating situation, the Unio home ministry cleared deployment of central forces, they said. One vehicle was set ablaze,” East Khasi Hills SP Vivek Syiem said.
