No relaxation in curfew in Shillong

Curfew continued on Tuesday in violence-hit areas in the Meghalaya capital Shillong while Internet on mobile telephones was restricted even as the situation was showing steady improvement.

"For today (Tuesday) we have decided not to relax the curfew even as the situation in the area is slowly limping back to normalcy. We are keeping a close watch on the situation," Deputy Commissioner of East Khasi Hills district P.S. Dkhar told IANS.

"The Army is still on standby. Fifteen companies of Central Armed Police Force have been deployed and another 10 companies are on way to Shillong to assist the police in maintaining law and order," a police officer said.

Dkhar said on Monday that night curfew will continue all over the Shillong city from Monday 4 p.m to Tuesday 5 a.m., fearing that the trouble may spread to other parts of the city.

The illegal sale of petrol and diesel has also been banned.

Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said the government had decided to set up a high-level committee headed by Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong to find a permanent solution to the long pending issue of relocation of the sweeper colony.

On June 1, the District Magistrate imposed curfew in some areas following violence involving members of the Punjabi and tribal Khasi communities.

Curfew was relaxed for seven hours from 8 a.m. on Sunday but mobs continued to throw stones at security forces, forcing them to fire tear gas.

--IANS

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