Shillong: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Tuesday said that the government has decided to relax curfew by 11 hours from August 18 following the situation in the violence-hit areas of the State capillary is slowly limping back to normalcy.
He said the government has also decided to reactivate mobile internet service, which was temporarily suspended from Sunday in four districts – East Khasi Hills, West Khasi Hills, South West Khasi Hill and Ri Bhoi, from 6 pm on Wednesday.
Sangma said these details have been left on the Deputy Commissioner East Khasi Hills district. However, the Deputy Commissioner is yet to issue the detailed notification to relax the curfew.
“The situation in Shillong is slightly calmer. We have started the process of engaging and discussing with different stakeholders including the Rangbah Shnongs (Village Chiefs), religious leaders, organisation leaders and we have appealed for peace and the response was positive to ensure normalcy return to the Shillong city,” Sangma said after he reviewed the prevailing law and order situation with Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, Home Minister Lahkmen Rymbui and senior government and police officials.
The Chief Minister also informed said that the Peace Committee headed by Deputy Chief Minister Tynsong would meet on Wednesday to discuss to normalise the prevailing law and order situation in
the State capital.
The committee also includes cabinet ministers Hamletson Dohling, Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar, Member of Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council Teibor Pathaw and village chiefs of various
Mawlai and Jaiaw localities.
On the other hand, the Mawlai Town Dorbar has decided not to be part of the Peace Committee
talks unless its demands are met relating to the incident that led to the killing of surrendered
Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) leader Cheristerfield Thangkhiew on August 13.
“The government must first placed the police personnel involved in the shooting of Thangkhie
under suspension,” Mawlai Town Dorbar, Co-ordinator, Herlambok War said.
The Dorbar has also demanded that no policemen should patrol Mawlai and the headman would be taking care of the law and order situation. Moreover, the CRPF camp at Mawlai Nongkwar should be shifted to another site within three months.
Meanwhile, the already pandemic-hit fledgling economy which was beginning to revive somewhat, took a further beating with the sudden deterioration in law and order leading to imposition of curfew in the State capital since Saturday and is scheduled to continue till 5 am on Wednesday.
Curfew was imposed in the Shillong Agglomeration in the wake of widespread protests, following
the death of HNLC militant Thangkhiew in police firing during a raid on his residence.
The State government has announced a judicial probe into the incident.
