The Meghalaya High Court has instructed authorities to escalate their efforts in identifying and prosecuting individuals involved in the violence that erupted during a Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) black-flag bike rally in Shillong on Wednesday. This directive comes amid rising tensions due to recent arson incidents and movement restrictions along the Assam-Meghalaya border, raising significant concerns about law and order in the region.
Police have registered cases and launched investigations. Two government vehicles were torched at secured locations in Nongstoin on Friday, while a transport department vehicle was set ablaze at Mookynphad Mihmyntdu in West Jaiñtia Hills. A Division Bench of Justices H.S. Thangkhiew and W. Diengdoh, hearing a suo motu PIL, took cognisance of the violence, noting extensive damage to government, police and public transport vehicles and the alleged desecration of statues of national heroes. The intervention came after a KSU rally, organised as part of its agitation over a five-point charter of demands, descended into violence across Shillong. They are now expected to be shifted from Shillong, with Kharjana to Williamnagar and Sanmiet and Najiar to Tura, amid heightened security. “We have enough evidence and footage to show that bikers were only involved in arson, vandalism and assault. The administration has meanwhile tightened restrictions. “The chief minister had communicated through the DC inviting KSU for talks, but they turned it down saying their programme was already fixed. The unrest has also spread beyond Shillong. A suspected police motorcycle was also torched at Malki.
Police said 31 vehicles were vandalised, 16 people injured and two vehicles torched, with 15 FIRs registered so far. Three senior KSU leaders—president Raymond Kharjana, vice-president Pynkmenlang Sanmiet and general secretary Reuben Najiar—were arrested and remanded in judicial custody for 14 days. The crowd had about 200 bikes. Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) was imposed in the Sadar police station area, prohibiting unauthorised rallies, processions and assemblies ahead of the KSU’s proposed Friday protest at Khyndailad.
The court directed authorities to take “more intensive and immediate” steps to apprehend those responsible and submit an action-taken report by August 24. East Khasi Hills SP Vivek Syiem said police had sufficient footage to identify those involved. We need to identify who in that crowd was involved in various spurts where incidents happened,” he said. Deputy chief minister in-charge of the home (police) department Prestone Tynsong said the government had already invited the KSU for talks before the rally, but the offer was turned down. We thought the rally would be peaceful as assured to the district administration,” Tynsong said.
