Shillong, March 19: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister in charge of Home (Police) and District Council Affairs Prestone Tynsong, met Governor C. H. Vijayashankar at Lok Bhawan in Shillong to apprise him of the prevailing law and order situation in the Garo Hills, even as the State government indicated a gradual return to normalcy amid continued sporadic incidents. The high-level interaction came as the government intensified efforts to stabilise the region following disturbances reported over the past 10 days, with a visible decline in violence but intermittent flare-ups still posing challenges to full restoration of peace.
The meeting assumed significance as the Chief Minister had been stationed in Garo Hills for much of the period to directly oversee developments on the ground, relying primarily on telephonic communication to keep the Governor informed before the in-person briefing.
Addressing media persons after the meeting, Sangma said, “For most of the last two weeks I was in Garo Hills, as you are all aware that there were different situation and different law and order situation that happened which required my full attention. So I was there in Garo Hills and all these while I could only communicate to Governor over phone and therefore I felt it appropriate that I must come and brief him along with Deputy Chief Minister Incharge Home Police Prestone Tynsong about the current prevailing situation in Garo Hills also the different incidents that let to different law and order situation that we faced. So a complete briefing on the entire matter was given to the governor.”
He added, “After I briefed him, he was much more aware about what happen, so the briefing was basically the briefing on the law and order situation. Regarding the arrest it is purely Police Department responsibility and based on whatever evidence and whatever rules that are there the police will take action and I am not aware of how many arrest have been made and who all are arrested. It’s a pure police matter and police are taking steps as per the law and as per the evidence. I think SPs are in a better position to reply to that.”
On the prevailing ground situation, the Chief Minister indicated a significant decline in violence while emphasising continued surveillance by the administration. “In terms of the violence and different incidents have come down, but there are different sporadic incidents that are there once in a while, violence has come down but we are keeping a close watch to ensure that normalcy should return. To a large extent it has returned, to the large extent people are going on with their day to day lives. After assessing the situation the internet ban is also lifted, so these are signs of normalcy returning but we are carefully monitoring the different situation.”
