Shillong, May 4: At least 16 persons were apprehended in the city as the Kuki-Meitei communal violence in Manipur spilled over to Shillong on Thursday evening.
East Khasi Hills SP Sylvester Nongtnger said around 5.30 pm, Laitumkhrah police station received information about a clash near Mizo Morden School in Nongrim Hills.
“To prevent the situation from getting aggravated, EKH police has apprehended and bound down 16 persons under Section 107 CrPC of both the communities for fomenting trouble,” Nongtnger said.
Meanwhile, the SP said stringent measures will be taken against perpetrators.
Meanwhile, the state government decided to make arrangements for evacuating more than 200 students from Meghalaya studying in Manipur.
After chairing an emergent meeting held with senior government officials, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said the government is closely monitoring the situation in Manipur.
“We are in touch with the students of the different institutes and we are also making arrangements as a state government to try and evacuate our students from there so that they can come back safely,” he said.
https://twitter.com/SangmaConrad/status/1654161275197313025
According to him, arrangements in terms of transportation, especially air transportation, are being made to quickly bring back students from Meghalaya, who are studying in Manipur.
Close to 200 students from Meghalaya are studying in Imphal.
Sangma called for an urgent meeting to ensure safety of students from Meghalaya following reports of building unrest in Manipur. In the meeting attended by senior government officials, he highlighted that the safety of all students must be ensured and directed the officials to come up with a plan for evacuation of students if the situation arises. He stated that over 200 residents of Meghalaya are studying in Manipur and that the Government is putting in place a helpline number for students or family members to reach out to in case of emergencies.
Stating that the government is also creating a helpline number, the chief minister said, “Students and parents can call on a 24-hour basis if they require any help or if any urgent matter is there.”
We have activated the HELPLINE 1800-345-3644 for students staying in #Manipur and for parents in case of emergencies.
We are closely monitoring the situation to ensure the safety of our students studying in the state.@AmitShah @NBirenSingh pic.twitter.com/RMw2NpUF8W
— Conrad K Sangma (@SangmaConrad) May 4, 2023
Urging parents and students not to panic but to stay calm, Sangma said, “We are monitoring the situation continuously and we are in touch with the Manipur government continuously and we are taking all steps possible to immediately ensure that we are able to as quickly as possible evacuate and bring our students back to Meghalaya and as the situation gets under control then we can decide on the further course of action.”
Meanwhile, Sangma urged all citizens of Manipur to maintain peace and harmony and refrain from violence.
“I also would like to appeal that we should not do anything to hurt any religious sentiments that have different attacks on different religious institutions and different religious places – these are not very healthy for our society and this will only complicate matters more and hence I urge that we should refrain from any such activity and would like to appeal to all our friends, brothers and sisters in Manipur that we should try and ensure that peace prevails and all different situations and complications are resolved in an amicable manner,” he added.
Cabinet minister and spokesperson of the MDA government Paul Lyngdoh said the Manipur government has assured safety of the Meghalayans residing in the state.
“In view the ethnic conflict that is currently going on in Manipur, the CM today spoke to his counterpart chief minister of Manipur and he was given a very firm assurance that the safety of Meghalayans is a priority and there is no cause for worry where students or professionals or travellers from Meghalaya to Manipur is concerned,” Lyngdoh told reporters.
