Two killed, five injured in firing by para military forces

Two persons were killed and five others injured in Meghalaya's East Jaintia Hills district when para military forces allegedly opened fire at a mob which obstructed their vehicle and pelted stones at them in the early hours of today, police said.

"Two persons including a woman died on the spot while around five others sustained bullet injuries after para military personnel opened fire at the mob which obstructed their vehicle and pelted stones on the NH 44," an officer at Khliehriat police station R Lynkhoi told PTI.

The district administration has imposed curfew in the entire district following the incident.

"Curfew has been imposed from 6 pm tonight till 6 in the morning tomorrow," Home department officials said.

The government has also sent additional forces to assist the district police in order to ensure that law and order is under control, they said.

The deceased have been identified as Setmon Phawa and Dinesh Siangshai, both hailing from Wapungskur village in the district, the police officer said, adding, that those injured were rushed to a hospital.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the para military BSF personnel resorted to firing after the mob pelted stones at a bus carrying them, the police saidLate last night an irate mob torched the vehicle of an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP)and attacked Superintendent of Police (SP) M K Dkhar during the indefinite economic strike called by the Movement of Indigenous People Rights and Livelihood (MIPRL) against National Green Tribunal's ban on coal mining in the state.

The SP was hospitalised after the attack. The economic strike began at 5 PM yesterday and the agitators were preventing the flow of traffic along the NH 44.
East Khasi Hills district authorities has already imposed section 144 CrPC along the NH 44 in the district.

The economic strike in East Jaintia Hills has also cut off traffic to other states - Tripura and Mizoram, and parts of Assam and Manipur, officials said.

The NGT has imposed a ban on unscientific rat-hole mining and transportation of coal in Meghalaya following a public interest litigation filed by an Assam-based NGO.

Tripura government has taken up the matter with Meghalaya government to ensure that movement of food grain and people are not affected by the blockade.