Security men stand guard a street during curfew in Shillong on Saturday, June 2, 2018. PTI
Newmai News Network
Shillong | June 2
The Army has been kept on standby as night curfew continued for the second night, of June 2, in entire Shillong to prevent any untoward incident, East Khasi Hills district Deputy Commissioner PS Dkhar informed here on Saturday. The district authorities have also extended, till further orders, the blockades of Internet and messaging services on mobile phones to prevent rumours from spreading uncontrollably, he said.
“The Army has been kept on standby as night curfew will continue for the second night tonight from 10 pm till 5 am,” Dkhar said.
He said the government and the district authorities are concerned with the fake news that has affected normalcy in the affected areas of the city after the sons and nephew of a bus driver were allegedly assaulted by residents of Them Metor on May 31. The official also warned those spreading rumours which may further escalate the tension in the 14 localities under Lumdiengjri PS and Cantonment police beat house.
“The affected areas are still tense but under control,” Dkhar said even as at Motphran and neighbouring Mawkhar and Mission Compound localities, the mob control police are under attack from stone pelters.
The district administrator said that normal life continues in all other parts of the city and examinations scheduled for tomorrow will not be affected due to the clashes.
A senior home department official monitoring the situation at ground zero said that 11 youths have been picked up for attacking the police.
They were taken to Lumdiengjri PS and charged as per law, he said.
At around midnight last night, the Army rescued about 500 stranded civilians from the affected areas, of which 200 are women and children, Defense Spokesperson Ratnakar Singh said.
Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, who met the MLAs of the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government last night, appealed to citizens to maintain peace and bring the city back to normalcy.
The clash erupted after a skirmish between some women and the driver of SPTS bus at Them Metoer which led to the assault of three persons. The parties involved in the skirmish had arrived at a verbal compromise.
A magisterial inquiry has been ordered to inquire into the incident as well as to identify the elements spreading rumours and inciting violence.
Making a fervent appeal to all citizens to maintain peace and extend help to bring back normalcy to the city, a government communique said: "It has been observed that false news and propaganda played a vital role in raising tempers and inciting violence...
"The members of the public are requested to remain calm and not to fall prey to rumours..."
With inputs from IANS
Meghalaya CM assures safety of Sikhs after violent clashes
Chandigarh, June 2 (IANS): Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma called up Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh to assure him of the safety of the Sikh community and their religious institutions in the state following communal clashes, an official said here on Saturday.
Sangma also assured Amarinder Singh that there was no damage to any Gurudwara or other institutions belonging to the Sikh minority in Meghalaya.
The Punjab Chief Minister expressed concern over the developments and hoped the situation does not escalate further. "The Meghalaya Chief Minister said he was personally monitoring the situation to ensure that there is no further trouble or incident that could trigger fresh tensions," the spokesperson added.
Amarinder Singh said that the attacks on Sikhs in various parts of the country in the recent past were a matter of serious concern. "Such incidents have the potential of causing communal divisions," he said. Sangma said the situation was now under control.
