Tura, July 26: Police have made another arrest in connection with the mob violence in Tura on Monday. The accused has been identified as Sengbath D Sangma.
He had allegedly put up a viral social media post calling for an uprising and to attack the chief minister’s home in Tura asking people to lay down their lives like in September 30, 2005.
9 people died in police firing in 2005 after a public meeting protesting against the alleged bifurcation of the Meghalaya Board of School Education (MBoSE) ended in chaos and clashes with security forces in Tura and Williamnagar. While four people were shot dead by police at Chandmary Playground in Tura, five were killed at Rongrenggre Playground in Williamnagar.
So far, 35 people have been arrested for their alleged role in the attack on the CM’s mini secretariat in Tura on Monday evening when the Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma was holding a meeting with civil bodies over their demands for winter capital in Tura and retrospective implementation of roster system.
The chaos, that lasted for over 3 hours, saw vested interest groups pelting stones at the CM’s office, resulting in injuries to 18 police personnel and damage to 21 vehicles.
Another important arrest on Monday was of Salseng R. Marak, who is accused of being one of the main instigators at the meeting venue, which riled up the agitated mob to break into violence. He allegedly urged protestors to burn down the ACHIK campsite, in which the group had been holding indefinite hunger strike for the past 2 weeks, and target police and the NGOs’ delegation holding talks with the Chief Minister.
A special police team arrested Salseng from Damalgre, where he was hiding. Seeing the police, he tried to escape but was caught by the swift action of the police.
