A black flag bike rally organised by the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) in Shillong, Meghalaya, turned violent on Wednesday, with several government and private vehicles vandalised at different locations across the city. The rally was held to protest the government’s alleged failure to respond to the KSU’s 15-day ultimatum and charter of demands.
Masked men pelted vehicles with stones, damaging windshields and windows at Dhankheti, Jylli Shop, Nongrim Hills, and other areas. A Meghalaya government Bolero was torched at Mawlai Nongmali, while several other government vehicles were also damaged. A vehicle belonging to the National Informatics Centre (NIC) of the Central government was also attacked with stones.
Two private vehicles were reportedly pelted with stones, and a passenger vehicle ferrying several passengers, including children, was also attacked. According to a ground report, at least 10 non-local men were brutally assaulted by masked men during the unrest.
The busts of Subhash Chandra Bose and Swami Vivekananda at RR Colony in Umpling were also vandalised by unidentified miscreants. The KSU has announced a sit-in demonstration on August 21, which will be held at Khyndai Lad.
KSU General Secretary Reuben Najiar stated that the agitation was intended to be peaceful and that KSU members had been instructed not to take the law into their own hands. The rally was organised after the KSU’s 15-day ultimatum to the government over its charter of demands expired without an adequate response.
