Shillong: An uneasy calm enshrouded Shillong on the fourth day since violent clashes broke out in the capital city of Meghalaya. While the curfew has been relaxed, a palpable tension still remains.
Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said that the incident was pre-planned with a vicious intent while also mentioning the “use of money and alcohol” to lure the youth to carry out disturbance in parts of Shillong.
Admitting that the government is aware of such attempts, Conrad said that a magisterial inquiry has been ordered to find out more details about the clashes before taking any action.
The authorities here imposed an indefinite curfew in areas under Lumdiengjri Police Station and Cantonment Beat House from 4 am on Friday after clashes broke out on Thursday in Motphran, Mawkhar and adjoining areas.
The violence erupted after an altercation between some women and a driver of a Shillong Public Transport Service (SPTS) bus at Them Meteor, which led to the assault of three persons.
Maintaining that these people were not residents of Shillong, Sangma said that numerous attempts by the village dorbar to control the mob had failed.
The curfew has been relaxed from 8 am to 3 pm and attempts were made to bring back life to normalcy.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has granted six companies of personnel — four CRPF and two ITBP — to tackle the situation to instill confidence among city dwellers.
In the absence of adequate security forces, traders at Police Bazar and Bara Bazar kept the shutters down on Saturday.
In addition to the central forces, there are SF-10 personnel, too, on the ground besides one company of CRPF personnel from North Garo Hills and other forces.
State Home Minister James Sangma informed that the police force had exercised maximum restraint and would continue to do so.
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