Curfew further relaxed in Meghalaya
By IANSSaturday, January 8, 2011
SHILLONG - With the situation in riot-hit areas limping to normalcy, authorities in Meghalaya Saturday further relaxed curfew in the Resublepara sub-division in East Garo Hills district.
The curfew was relaxed for six hours starting 11 a.m.
Eight people were killed in ethnic clashes between Garo and Rabha tribals along the Assam-Meghalaya border. The violence displaced some 30,000 people who fled their homes since the New Year’s Day.
“The situation is limping back to normalcy. Therefore, we decided to lift the curfew for another six hours to ensure people could buy essential commodities,” East Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Pravin Bakshi told IANS.
He said further relaxation would be done after assessing the law and order situation.
Both the Meghalaya and Assam governments are setting up relief camps to accommodate the displaced people in East Garo Hills and Goalpara districts of Meghalaya and Assam respectively.
Union Minister of State for Rural Development Agatha K. Sangma, her brother and Meghalaya’s opposition leader Conrad K. Sangma and their father and former Lok Sabha speaker Purno A. Sangma Friday narrowly escaped mob fury in Assam’s Goalpara district.
The three were visiting a relief camp at Chotomatia in Assam after visiting relief camps in East Garo Hills district.
