Police still searching for firearms snatched by masked miscreants on Independence Day
COVID-19 protocols went for a toss as people in Meghalaya capital Shillong scrambled to buy essentials on Wednesday after curfew, imposed on Sunday due to a breakdown in law and order, was relaxed from 11 hours.
Shillong descended into chaos on Independence Day as masked miscreants ran amok damaging vehicles and indulging in looting and arson. The trigger for the violence was the killing of former extremist leader Cheristerfield Thangkhiew by the police in an alleged fake encounter on August 13.
His funeral on August 15 coincided with the official I-Day programme in Shillong.
“There have been no reports of any incident over the past 48 hours,” East Khasi Hills district’s Superintendent of Police Sylvester Nongtnger told The Hindu. Shillong is the headquarters of the district.
He also said the police were still trying to locate the firearms snatched by the miscreants during the day of violence. Three policemen had been suspended for failing to prevent the miscreants from taking the INSAS rifles away.
According to the district administration, the curfew will remain in place from 4 p.m. on Wednesday to 5 a.m. on Thursday. “The 11-hour relaxation may continue for a couple of days before extending the duration depending on the situation,” an official said, declining to be quoted.
Essential and non-essential shops have been ordered to remain open till 3 p.m. Educational institutions, banks and government and private offices, which had obtained permission to function with 30% people, too have been asked to close by 3 p.m.
“The backbones of commoners have already been broken from a prolonged COVID-19 curfew. This curfew induced by the breakdown in law-and-order has added to their misery,” Congress MLA and former Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh told reporters.
She also criticised the absence of a Home Minister during a crisis in Meghalaya, specifically Shillong.
Lakhmen Rymbui had quit as the Home Minister after the violence on Sunday, owning moral responsibility for the situation arising out of Thangkhiew’s killing. “We are yet to accept his resignation,” Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma said.
The State government, meanwhile, is expected to withdraw the suspension of mobile internet services from 6 p.m. on Wednesday. Data services were suspended on Sunday, initially for 48 hours but extended by another 24 hours.
Joannes J.T.L. Lamare, a local resident, had filed a public interest litigation petition in the High Court of Meghalaya against the internet ban.