The killing of six people in the disputed Mukroh village region along the state’s border with Assam drew protesters to the capital city of Shillong on Saturday amid continued border violence in Meghalaya.
Conrad K. Sangma, the chief minister of Meghalaya, and Union home minister Amit Shah’s effigies were reportedly burned at the Polo Hills homes of protesters from various social organisations.
Local reports said the protesters belonged to five organisations – the Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC), East Jaintia National Council (EJNC), Jaintia Students’ Movement (JSM), Hynniewtrep Achik National Movement (HANM) and the Confederation of Ri Bhoi People (CoRP).
A police official told news agency PTI that the protesters got involved in a scuffle with the cops in front of the Sangma’s bungalow after the police refused to let them hold the demonstration there. He clarified that they were permitted to organise the protest in a nearby place.
On Friday, pressure organisations announced a movement against collaboration to protest the border dispute. The Hynniewtrep Integrated Territorial Organization (HITO) held a “Red Flag” rally earlier in the day and commemorated “Red Flag Day” on the grounds of the city’s U Soso Tham Auditorium.
According to reports, criminals attacked three police vehicles, including a city bus, on Thursday and set a traffic booth on fire. According to reports, the demonstrators threw rocks and gasoline bombs at the police officers sent in to quell the unrest. To disperse the demonstrators and impose the order, security personnel turned to firing tear gas rounds.
The incident comes three days after the killing of six people in Mukroh village, the situation along the Assam-Meghalaya border remained tense on Saturday but “under control” with security forces ensuring no further flare-ups, officials said.
Despite a significant deployment of security personnel, Section 144 of the CrPC prohibition orders continued to be in effect in the disputed region.
