Curfew relaxed in Shillong, CM says stone-pelters were funded

Curfew was relaxed for seven hours on Sunday in violence-hit areas here but Internet services remained restricted even as Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said police had found that some people were funding stone-pelters.

Meanwhile, Sikh leaders denied reports that a gurdwara here was attacked or damaged.

"There were no reports of any violence during the curfew relaxation from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The situation is under control and more security reinforcement have been deployed while the Army is on standby," East Khasi Hills district Deputy Commissioner Peter S. Dkhar told IANS.

He said that suspension of Internet on mobiles would continue besides prohibiting the sale of petrol and diesel in jerry cans, bottles and any other containers to public.

He also appealed to the people not to trust false reports propagated in social media like attacks on a gurdwara in the city.

Meanwhile, Conrad Sangma told the press that police have "found out that there are certain people who are funding this agitation.

"We have found evidence of expensive alcohol being given to them, we have found evidence of money being given to them," he said after reviewing the situation with Home Minister James Sangma, Director General of Police Swaraj Bir Singh and other officials.

"There are individuals who confessed they have been given money to take part in this agitation and they have come there because they have been given money.. I must tell that we are on the job of finding out where the money is coming from, who are those individuals who are distributing money," the Chief Minister added.

Asserting that stern action would be taken against those funding the troubles, he said that they had got "some names and we have got records of that and we are going to move forward in that line also..."

Asked if some politicians were involved in funding, he said: "We do not want to take any name. I am not here to politicize this issue. This is a very sensitive issue and the individuals who are there will be aware of it and we are investigating into more details."

Meanwhile, a Sikh delegation led by Delhi legislator Manjinder Singh Sirsa met the Chief Minister and expressed satisfaction that "Sikhs are safe" in Meghalaya.

"The problems are on since past two decades. An amicable solution will be found on the issue which will be a win-win situation for both sides. It will ensure that nobody lives under fear and terror. There were reports going around in the country that the situation is terrible.

"However, after what we witnessed at ground zero I want to say that it is tense but under control. The situation is under control because the Chief Minister, the administration and police have acted firmly and decisively," Sirsa said.

Sikh community leader Gurjeet Singh denied media reports that a gurudwara was torched or desecrated.

"Everything is peaceful in the locality and it is not a fact that the gurdwara has been attacked or our people living in hunger or on the streets," Singh told IANS.

Indefinite curfew was imposed in areas under Lumdiengjri Police Station and Cantonment Beat House from 4 a.m on Friday in view of the breakdown of law and order in Motphran, Mawkhar and adjoining areas following Thursday's clash.

The clash erupted after a skirmish between some women and a driver of Shillong Public Transport Service bus at Them Meteor, which led to an assault of three persons. The violence continued even after the parties involved in the skirmish reached a compromise.

--IANS

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