GUWAHATI: At least three Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) leaders, including its president Raymond, general secretary Rueben and vice-president Pynkmenlang, were arrested on Wednesday, August 19, following incidents of stone-pelting and damage to vehicles during a Black Flag Bike Rally in Shillong, according to reports.
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The arrests came after the KSU rally, organised to press the Meghalaya government to act on the union’s five-point charter of demands, was accompanied by reports of stone-pelting and vandalism at several locations across the city.
The rally began from the KSU office at Jaiaw Seng Khasi College and passed through several parts of Shillong before concluding at Seng Khasi, Jaiaw.
The procession covered areas including Lumdiengjri, Rhino, Barik, Malki, Pynthorbah, Madan Iewrynghep, Jylli Shop, Rynjah, Umpling, Ishyrwat, Nongmensong, Polo, Golf Link, Mawlai Mawroh, Mawlai Bus Stand and Mawlai Pump, among others.
Reports of stone-pelting emerged from some locations as the rally moved through the city, with several vehicles reportedly damaged. The circumstances behind the incidents and the extent of the damage were not immediately clear.
The incidents briefly heightened tension along parts of the rally route, even as the procession continued.
The KSU members, carrying black flags, alleged that the state government had failed to respond to their five-point charter of demands. The union said the agitation was aimed at highlighting issues concerning the rights and interests of the people of Meghalaya.
Further developments are awaited on the arrests and the police investigation into the incidents reported during the rally.
The situation remains tense, particularly along the Assam-Meghalaya border, following reports of attacks on few Assam-registered vehicles in Shillong that left several people injured.