Shillong unrest: Clashes halt, 15 paramilitary units deployed in city, 12-hour curfew imposed

The situation in the violence-hit Meghalaya capital has “improved” with no fresh clash reported from any part of the city over the past 12 hours, a top district official said. Barring the 14 “vulnerable” localities, where the 24-hour curfew continued to remain in force, life was limping back to normal in other parts of Shillong, he said. “Over 90 percent shops in Police Bazaar, and parts of Bara Bazaar opened this morning. People were seen buying supplies at the two marts. Taxis were also plying on thoroughfares, but buses still remained off roads,” he added. [caption id=“attachment_4497011” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File image of policemen standing guard in Shillong after curfew. PTI[/caption] East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner PS Dkhar said the home department was yet to take a call on restoring internet and messaging services in the state capital. “There was no report of any untoward incident in the past 12 hours, but curfew would be imposed on the entire city from 4 pm to 5 am, just like yesterday,” he said. The hill town has been in the grip of violence since Thursday following a fight between the Sikh residents in Shillong’s Punjabi Lane area, also known as sweeper colony, and the Khasi drivers of state-run buses. Over 10 people, including policemen and CRPF personnel, were injured in the clashes. Altogether 15 companies of paramilitary forces have been deployed at various locations in Shillong to handle the situation. The Army also conducted a flag march in the city for the second day on Monday. The BJP-backed Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government has formed a high-level committee, headed by Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, to find a permanent solution to the issue of relocation of the sweeper colony, inhabited by the Punjabis, where an assault incident, fanned by fake news on the social media, sparked the clashes last week. Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma had said last night that the urban affairs department has been asked to submit a detailed report on the Punjabi Lane area to the committee, including its history, legal aspects and concerns of the people living there.