One vegetable vendor was stabbed to death and six others were injured in Shillong on Saturday as curfew was re-imposed in parts of the state capital and restricted use of mobile internet to contain violence that broke out following an anti-CAA public meeting on Friday in East Khasi Hills district.
A member of the influential Khasi Students' Union (KSU) died in an attack at Ichamati area near the India-Bangladesh border following the meeting. The KSU is opposed to the CAA and demands introduction of Inner Line Permit system in Meghalaya in order to check "adverse impact" of the CAA on the state's tribal population.
Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, who held a review meeting at 11 am on Saturday said that eight persons have been arrested while efforts were on to contain tension. An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh has also been announced to the family of the victims while a magisterial probe was ordered.
The administration imposed restriction on use of mobile internet for 48 hours in at least six districts while the use of SMS service was also restricted to five. "Message system like SMS and Whatsapp and social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Youtube are likely to be used for transmission of information through pictures, video and texts and have potential to cause serious breakdown of law and order," said a notification issued by Meghalaya home department.
Sangma and Governor Tathagata Roy appealed all to maintain calm and not to spread rumours.
The Centre decided to keep the states having ILP and the areas administered under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution (autonomous) out of the CAA's ambit. Most parts of Meghalaya are under the Sixth Schedule but KSU and other organisations demand ILP in Meghalaya too like in Nagaland, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur. Visitors from rest of the country are required to have a permit under the ILP.
Published 29 February 2020, 13:29 IST