Curfew extended in Shillong, no fresh violence reported

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Shillong, March 2 (IANS) Curfew was extended in several areas of Meghalaya's capital Shillong and its outskirts on Monday though there was no fresh violence reported in the hill state, officials said.

Meghalaya's East Khasi Hills district Deputy Commissioner Matsiewdor War Nongbri said that the curfew was extended on Monday morning and would continue till Tuesday morning.

"Though there are no fresh major incidents of violence, we have extended the curfew as a precautionary measure," the Deputy Commissioner told IANS over phone.

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

However, students writing the exams being conducted by the Meghalaya Board of Secondary Education (MBOSE), have been exempted from the purview of the curfew. The MBOSE final exams began on Monday.

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 anti-CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act) and pro-ILP (Inner Line Permit).

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 were put in place in the affected areas," the Chief Minister told the media after a review meeting with senior police and civil administration officials.

The Meghalaya government has arranged buses for the stranded tourists in Cherrapunjee (Sohra), Shillong or any other nearby places. The state government has announced it will provide free transportation to ferry the tourists out of the state.

The Meghalaya Assembly on December 19 last year had unanimously adopted a resolution requesting the Centre to promulgate the Inner Line Permit (ILP) in the mountainous state to keep the state out of the purview of the CAA, but the union Home Ministry is yet to issue the statutory notification in this regard. The mountainous state had witnessed violent agitations in December last year over the issue of CAA and ILP.

The Confederation of Meghalaya Social Organisations (COMSO), a conglomerate of agitating bodies, said the demand for the regulatory permit would continue until the union home ministry gives its approval.

In the second week of December, Sangma had led a delegation of the ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) and met Home Minister Amit Shah to demand introduction of the ILP in the remaining part of the state.

--IANS

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