YEAR IN REVIEW
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Dec 30: Meghalaya had a fairly violent 2023.
In the early part of this year, the demand for a winter capital gained momentum in the Garo Hills with different groups holding sit-in demonstrations in Tura.
The issue took a violent turn on July 24 when a mob pelted stones at Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma’s office in Tura, injuring five security personnel.
Sangma, who was inside his office at the time, was unharmed. The incident occurred while he was holding a meeting with the agitating groups who were on a hunger strike.
Soon after the incident, the demand for a winter capital in the Garo Hills died its natural death.
Later, the police launched a massive crackdown and arrested several people involved in the violence.
Apart from the Chief Minister, Cabinet Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh came under attack this year when a man rushed at her with a machete and pelted stones at her residence on July 11.
The minister escaped unhurt while the security outside her house was beefed up. The accused, identified as Teibor Lyting, was arrested.
The Laitumkhrah Police Station located in the heart of the capital was also attacked by a group of people on July 6 in which three vehicles and a two-wheeler parked inside the compound were torched after police personnel allegedly refused to register complaints by two groups engaged in an altercation.
The incident occurred when the two groups, involved in a heated exchange of words, argued with the policemen on duty over the filing of their complaints. Five people were arrested later.
On September 4, the police fired tear gas at protesters belonging to the Hynniewtrep Integrated Territorial Organization (HITO) as they turned unruly in the Police Bazar area.
A significantly large number of HITO members had gathered near the SBI branch to protest against the police summons to the organisation apparently for wearing a black uniform. The protesters started shouting slogans and gradually turned restive, which eventually disrupted traffic in the area forcing the police to act. Police also detained two of the protesters.
The Assam-Meghalaya boundary dispute also led to frequent tensions along the border areas of the state.
On September 26, clashes broke out at Lapangap village and the situation remained tense for weeks as people of the two states attacked each other with catapults, bows, and arrows.
At one point, the Assam Police resorted to firing tear gas shells to disperse unruly crowds, which engaged in violence by burning down huts, police said.
Meanwhile, there were multiple incidents of two-wheelers being torched and vandalized, especially in the Jhalupara and Mawprem areas of the city.
During the year, several drug traffickers were also arrested from different parts of the state. A substantial quantity of drugs was seized from them.