The Meghalaya High Court criticized the state police on Wednesday for their handling of the investigation into the violence that erupted in Shillong on August 19. The court expressed concern over the failure of officers to prevent a black-flag bike rally organized by the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU), noting that participants allegedly violated multiple conditions set for the event. This raises questions about the effectiveness of law enforcement in maintaining order during public demonstrations.
Protesters vandalised and set ablaze vehicles, including those with Assam registration numbers, and damaged a glass panel of a statue of philosopher Swami Vivekananda. Only four people, however, were arrested for the violence. The high court asked why others were not taken into custody. However, the bench was informed that many protesters covered their faces, obscured the registration numbers of their vehicles and carried lathis and other potentially dangerous objects. The court observed that timely police intervention could have averted the subsequent violence and destruction and enquired whether the procession had been videographed from the beginning and whether officers intervened once the violations became apparent. The high court directed that its observations be communicated to the SIT chief and ordered the IGP, the East Khasi Hills SP, and the officers-in-charge of the Sadar and Lumdiengjri police stations to appear in person at the next hearing to explain the progress of the probe.
A bench of chief justice Revati Mohite Dere and justice W Diengdoh expressed dissatisfaction with the probe’s progress and raised pointed questions regarding the police response before, during, and after the procession, saying it was “not happy” with the investigation. The court said the rally had been approved under strict conditions, including an undertaking that participants would not cover their faces. The court also told the police to produce the case diary in connection with the attack on two high court vehicles, noting that all cases, including an attack on a public transport bus, must receive the same expeditious consideration.
Turning to the investigation, the court expressed concern over the lack of arrests though 22 FIRs were registered across state capital, Shillong.
The bench said the arrest of only four persons was disproportionate given that the violence involved “hundreds of miscreants.”
