2 labourers assaulted, 1 stabbed in Meghalaya

Two labourers were assaulted, a man stabbed and a truck set on fire in sporadic incidents of violence in Meghalaya's East Khasi Hills district, police said on Friday.

The situation in the state is under close watch with the deployment of three companies of Central Armed Police Forces in the affected areas, in addition to over 100 Rapid Action Force personnel in markets at Khyndailad (Police Bazaar) and Motphran (in Iew Duh), police said.

Both the construction workers who were assaulted by unidentified people in Lawsohtun on Thursday escaped unhurt, Assistant Inspector General of Police Gabriel Iangrai said in a statement.

A 21-year-old man was stabbed by a group of unknown people at Mawkhar in Shillong on Thursday, police said. Mawkhar is a stone's throw from Motphran near Iewduh where curfew, which was imposed on Saturday afternoon, was relaxed for the first time on Thursday.

CCTV footage showed that at least two boys dragging the man, who works as a house painter, to a lane where he was stabbed multiple times, East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police Claudia Lyngwa said, adding that the culprits could not be identified.

The man who was admitted to the Shillong Civil Hospital, with two cuts on his stomach, was stated to be out of danger by the doctors.

In a separate incident at Bholaganj near Ichamati, the scene of last week's violence, a truck parked near a police station was burnt by unidentified people, he said.

Meanwhile, curfew has been relaxed at Iewduh market and all areas under Cantonment Beat House in Shillong from 5 am till 1 pm on Friday.

Curfew imposed in Sadar police station area, which includes the Police Bazaar area in the heart of the city, was relaxed for eight hours from 8 am, while night curfew imposed in the entire city was relaxed at 5 am, the assistant inspector general of police said.

Important cases registered during the unrest since last week have been transferred to the Crime Investigation Department for investigation, police said, appealing to the people to avoid circulating rumours and hateful messages that could breach harmony and create fear psychosis.

Mobile Internet and SMS services, which were withdrawn since Friday night in six districts, were restored since 10 am on Thursday.

District authorities in East Khasi Hills district had promulgated night curfew since Saturday following the death of Lurshai Hynniewta, a member of the Khasi Students' Union, and two others in the district.

Eight people have been arrested from Ichamati in connection with Hynniewta's death. Arrests are yet to be made with regard to the killing of the two others at Iewduh market and Shella, the police said.

Meanwhile, Congress legislators from Assam had met state Home Minister Lahkmen Rymbui and Leader of Opposition in Assembly Mukul Sangma on Thursday, seeking their intervention to ensure the safe return of migrant workers, who are stranded in Meghalaya in view of the prevailing law and order following the clash in Ichamati.

The labourers, employed in limestone mines, are struck at Shella, Ichamati and Bholaganj due to the situation, they had said.