A mob attacked the office of Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Monday which left five security personnel injured while the CM was unhurt. The incident took place after hundreds of people gathered outside the CM's office and started throwing stones. Five security personnel were injured in the attack and were brought inside Sangma's office. Garo Hills-based civil society groups have been demanding a winter capital in Tura. The Chief Minister was talking to the protestors when some people in the crowd started throwing stones, said the Chief Minister's Office.
Police fired tear gas shells to disperse the crowd and the Chief Minister and Public Health Engineering are overseeing the matter, it added.
Night curfew has been imposed in Tura with immediate effect and the CM announced an ex gratia of Rupees 50,000 for the injured personnel and said their medical expenses will also be borne by the state government. He also said that people of pelted stones were not part of the agitating groups and necessary action will be taken from police side.
"The incident that took place today in Tura outside the CM Secretariat, is indeed very unfortunate...while discussions were almost over...we heard some agitation from outside...and it seems that the pelting of stones was initiated by people who were not part of the agitating groups...Necessary action will be taken from the police side. I have decided that I'll be giving Rs 50,000 as medical allowance to all those people who were injured & all the expenditure will be borne by the government..." the CM said.
The police also said that a large number of outsiders mingled with the protestors, ostensibly seeking winter capital, and started throwing stones at the office. Video footage of the mob would be studied and culprits identified, said the officials.
A’chik Conscious Holistically Integrated Krima (ACHIK) and Garoland State Movement Committee (GHSMC) are among the civil society groups demanding a winter capital in Tura.
(With inputs from agencies)