Shillong, June 3 : Following violence continued in some parts of Shillong region on Saturday night, over 400 people including 200 women and children from Punjabi lane in the capital city of Meghalaya walked into army cantonment and took shelter with the army.
By taking advantage of open roads, the people walked into army cantonment and later they were escorted to Rhino training centre at Garrison ground where they were provided with food, water and blankets by army personnel to stay overnight.
General Commanding Officer of 101 Area, Lt Gen DS Ahuja visited the families and took stock the situation.
On the other hand, while mostly women and children had taken shelter with the army, some men of the Punjabi lane had guarded their properties as fearing about miscreants trying to destroy their properties.
Meanwhile, Meghalaya police had arrested the main culprit with two others who allegedly assualted a bus conductor and three others on Thursday at Them Aew Mawlong, a Punjabi settlement in Shillong, but the several non-government pressure groups including the Khasi Students Union, Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People and Hynniewtrep Youth Council demanded those involved in the assault of local boys in the bus be arrested and dealt with as per law of the land and the illegal settlers at Punjabi lane be evicted.
On the other hand, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma directed the state Urban Affairs and Revenue departments to submit reports on relocating the inhabitants of Sweeper lane following the violence.
The Meghalaya government also agreed to most of the demands made by various organisations and agitators and the decision was taken by the state government during a meeting in presence of Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, Home Minister James K Sangma, Health Minister AL Hek, Tourism Minister Metbah Lyngdoh, Sports Minister Banteidor Lyngdoh and a delegation led by the KHNAM MLA from North Shillong Adelbert Nongrum, headmen of different localities, senior citizens, local women and youth bodies held in Shillong on Saturday.
(By Hemanta Kumar Nath, Guwahati)
