Shillong: A black flag bike rally organised by the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) on Wednesday to protest the government’s alleged failure to respond to its 15-day ultimatum and charter of demands turned violent, with several government and private vehicles vandalised at different locations across Shillong.
During the rally, masked men pelted vehicles with stones, damaging windshields and windows at Dhankheti, Jylli Shop, Nongrim Hills and other areas.
A Meghalaya government Bolero was torched at Mawlai Nongmali. The vehicle bears registration number ML01-6152.
Government vehicles bearing registration numbers ML01-5620, ML01-7305, ML01-8022, ML01A-0875, ML01A-0966, ML01A-2022, ML01A-0841 and ML01A-2277 were also damaged after being caught along the route of the rally.
A vehicle belonging to the National Informatics Centre (NIC) of the Central government was also attacked with stones.
Two private vehicles bearing registration numbers AS11AH-5190 and AS01ES-8243 were reportedly pelted with stones.
A passenger vehicle, ferrying several passengers including children, was also attacked. A video circulating on social media showed passengers ducking inside the vehicle as stones were allegedly hurled at it.
According to a ground report by EastMojo, at least 10 non-local men were brutally assaulted by masked men during the unrest.
Meanwhile, the busts of Subhash Chandra Bose and Swami Vivekananda at RR Colony in Umpling were also vandalised by unidentified miscreants.
The rally was organised after the KSU’s 15-day ultimatum to the government over its charter of demands expired without, according to the union, an adequate response.
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The KSU has announced a sit-in demonstration on August 21, which will be held at Khyndai Lad.
The KSU GS Reuben Najiar also responded to questions about the vandalism that the agitation was intended to be peaceful and that KSU members had been instructed not to take the law into their own hands.
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