By  Bhupen Goswami

Guwahati : Curfew was imposed in some parts of Meghalaya’s state capital Shillong on Friday following a violent clash that broke out between the police and an unruly mob in the city’s Motphran area. “Curfew has been imposed in areas under Lumdiengjri police station and Cantonment Beat House from 4 a.m. this (Friday) morning in view of the breakdown of law and order in Shillong city (Motphran, Mawkhar and adjoining areas) following the violent clash on Thursday night,” Deputy Commissioner of East Khasi Hills district, Peter. S. Dkhar said. The police used tear gas to disperse the mob but they did not move out of the area. The clash erupted after a bus conductor was allegedly assaulted by a group of people residing at Them Aew Mawlong (Harijan’s lane).

However, the situation turned volatile later in the night when the mob attempted to march towards Them Mawlong and started pelting stones at the police deployed in the area. A journalist and four civilians were injured in the clash. “We (police) have tightened the security all over the city after miscreants set four vehicles on fire in four different locations at Motphran, Umsohson, Rynjah and Nongmynsong,” Davies Marak, the district police chief of East Khasi Hills said Three stone pelters’ were arrested. The police seized petrol bombs and other sharp weapons from their possession.Following a minor incident in the afternoon of Thursday, Shillong witnessed a much tensed situation in and around the town as Police and bus conductors clashed with each other throughout the evening into the night. Bus conductors of Shillong Public Transport Service and local police engaged in a major conflict after an incident in the afternoon. Bus conductors took to the streets in numbers and interrupted the traffic following which the police intervened and that led to the clashes.The police were welcomed by stones pelted on them by the conductors at Punjabi Lane area of Bara Bazaar in Shillong. Following the stone pelting, the police fired rubber bullet and blank fired a number of rounds to dispel the uncontrollable crowd of conductors.

At around 4 AM in the morning, curfew was imposed in many crucial areas of Shillong. Situation still seems out of control at Shillong where a small clash between two communities on Thursday has taken an ugly turn as more clashes are being reported with police and between the people of the two communities on Friday. Police have fired 7 tear gas shells till now since morning. Internet services have been suspended at parts, according to unofficial sources. Meanwhile, the administration clamped 144 CrPC in the area fearing further deterioration of the situation. CM Conrad Sangma has also called for an emergency meeting with the Home Minister and his cabinet colleagues to monitor the law and order situation.

As this report is being filed, clashes and stone pelting continue as locals keep on trying to march towards the Punjabi lane area.According to sources, police are now trying to control the locals from marching towards Punjabi lane, where the clash started on Thursday, fearing that might lead to more clashes as the demand of the locals now is that they want the culprit involved in the thrashing of a local guy yesterday gets arrested. The locals have also threatened that if the police fail to arrest the culprit then they will be bound to take the culprit out on their own. The mob is gathering at present at Motphran, Umsoshun and Quallapatty tri-junction, 200 metres from Punjabi lane where the incident occurred yesterday. Five people have been injured so far including a news reporter so far, according to unofficial sources. Earlier, huge clashes occurred in the area after a local person was allegedly beaten up for hitting a girl in Punjabi Lane with the vehicle he was driving. The situation turned out of control in the evening when a group of around 200-300 locals came to the Punjabi Lane and started pelting stones at the police personnel after they tried to stop the mob. From anti-riot vehicles and fire tenders to tear gas shells, the police tried their best to control the situation. While the clashes continued till late at night on Thursday, they resumed on Friday after locals started marching towards the Punjabi lane again.