Statues vandalised, vehicles torched after students rally turns violent in Meghalaya

SHILLONG: Statues of Swami Vivekananda and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose were allegedly vandalised, while at least two government vehicles were set ablaze on Wednesday during a bike rally organised by the Khasi Students' Union (KSU), police said.The rally passed through several parts of Shillong, where several vehicles were attacked and partially damaged. At least two government vehicles were also torched during the protest, officials said.According to news agency PTI, statues of Swami Vivekananda and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, erected at a colony, were also vandalised.The rally was part of the KSU’s ongoing agitation over a five-point charter of demands. These include the implementation of the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act, reforms in recruitment through the Meghalaya Public Service Commission and District Selection Committees (DSCs), and stricter regulation of migrant workers.The influential student body has also raised concerns over the recruitment of nurses at the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS) and sought changes to the hiring process.Separately, the KSU has opposed the manner in which the public hearing for Shree Cement Ltd’s proposed limestone mining project at Lum Syrman in East Jaintia Hills was conducted.The student body has demanded that the proceedings be declared null and void.The union had issued a 15-day ultimatum to the state government. Later, it announced a black-flag bike rally across Shillong, claiming that its demands had not been addressed.During the day, KSU members reached the main gate of the Meghalaya Secretariat and put up flags as part of the protest. The flags were removed by police personnel.Statues of Swami Vivekananda and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose at the Relief and Rehabilitation Colony, established for people who fled erstwhile East Pakistan in the 1960s, were also vandalised during the rally, officials said.Police and security personnel were deployed in several parts of the city following the incidents. Further details on the extent of the damage and any arrests were awaited.(With agency inputs)Stay updated with the latest Shillong news. Download the TOI App.