Office work hit as Pro-ILP activists launch picketing

Functioning of offices in the Khasi-Jaintia Hills region in Meghalaya was affected today as pro-Inner Line Permit groups launched a two-day office picketing amid some reports of violence.
The overall attendance at offices was recorded at around 60 per cent, with the state capital recording the lowest 54 per cent, official sources said.
Suspected pro-Inner Line Permit (ILP) activists hurled a bomb at the newly constructed house of the Additional Chief Secretary B K Dev Varma in the city last night, police said.
Although none was injured in the blast, police have beefed up security in and around the house.

Miscreants lobbed a Molotov Cocktail on two garment shops at Police Bazaar area in the heart of the city early today, injuring at least two persons, police said.
Armed with daos, a group of miscreants attacked two shops and damaged property estimated to be over Rs 50 lakh.

The pro-ILP activists mostly belong to the Khasi Students Union (KSU), Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP) and eight other groups.
Around 200 CRPF personnel have arrived in the state capital in view of the deteriorating law and order scenario after talks between pro-ILP activists and state government failed, police said.

The agitators are demanding immediate introduction of ILP to check influx of illegal migrants in the state.
ILP is an official travel document issued by the Indian government to allow travel of an Indian citizen into a restricted or protected area for a limited period of time.