Meghalaya News

Curfew relaxed for three hours in Shillong, no fresh incident

Sentinel Digital Desk

A CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG: An uneasy calm continues to prevail in Shillong and its adjacent areas. No untoward incident was reported from any part of the city. However, the East Khasi Hills district administration after relieving the curfew for three hours in the sensitive areas for three hours reimposed it at 6 pm on Tuesday in the entire Shillong city and it’s suburbs.

With an improvement in the situation, authorities relaxed the curfew here for three hours on Tuesday noon even as the security forces maintained a strict vigil.

East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner Matsiewdor War Nongbri said that the curfew was been relaxed for three hours from 12 p.m. on Tuesday. However, after the relaxation, the curfew was back and would continue till Wednesday.

“Though there are no fresh incidents of violence, the curfew would continue as precautionary measures,” he said.

Police officials in Shillong said that central paramilitary and state security forces continued to be deployed in the sensitive and mixed population areas of the state capital and its outskirts, including market places and business locations.

However, the exams being conducted by the Meghalaya Board of Secondary Education (MBSE) – which began on Monday – have been exempted from the purview of the curfew.

Since Friday, three people – two non-tribals and a tribal – have been killed and many injured in ethnic clashes and attacks by rival groups in East Khasi Hills district and adjoining areas. The violence was triggered by the issue of the Citizenship Amendment Act and the Inner Line Permit demand.

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma ordered an inquiry into these incidents.

“A magisterial inquiry has been ordered. The district and police administrations have ensured that enough security personnel was put in place in the affected areas,” he told the media after a review meeting with senior police and civil administration officials. (IANS)