Shillong violence may hit tourism, says Meghalaya group

GUWAHATI: Even as the Meghalaya police launched a crackdown against those involved in Friday’s hooliganism on the streets of Shillong, a tourism promotion organisation feared the violence might affect the state’s tourism and economy.

Tribal body Federation of Khasi Jaintia Garo People had taken out a rally to flag the issue of rising unemployment in the state but it turned violent with a section of the protestors assaulting innocent bystanders and passers-by, mostly non-tribals, and damaging police and private vehicles.

The police arrested one person and launched a hunt for the remaining other assailants.

Meghalaya has several touristic sites with Shillong being one and the state depends heavily on tourism. In the aftermath of the violence, the Meghalaya Tourism Development Forum felt the sector might get affected.

Larsing Sawyan, chairman of the organisation, said the state’s image got tarnished after videos of the violence had gone viral on social media, sending a bad message. He also said that the incidents damaged the goodwill of indigenous communities.

“Confidence in law and order machinery needs to be restored and the public must to be given reassurance that such blatant acts of public defiance against the order of law and civility will not go unpunished,” the organisation said in a statement.

Two Assam MLAs wrote to the Meghalaya government expressing deep concern over the violence.

Congress MLA Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha met Meghalaya Director General of Police LR Bishnoi and requested him to protect the lives and property of people.

BJP MLA Krishnendu Paul demanded a probe by the National Investigation Agency into Friday’s violence as well as various other such incidents that occurred in the recent years.

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, who reviewed the law and order situation on Monday, promised action against the perpetrators of the crime. He said three FIRs had been filed in connection with the violence.

“I have reviewed the law and order situation and instructed the police to take necessary actions,” he told journalists.

Meghalaya has had a history of such incidents and Sangma said the administration granted permission for the rally after reposing faith in the organisers.