The governments of Assam and Meghalaya on Saturday agreed on a series of measures to restore normalcy and ensure the safe movement of tourists, passengers and vehicles following the violence in Shillong on August 19.
The decisions were taken at a joint meeting at the Koinadhara State Guest House in Guwahati, chaired by Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister Dr S. Dhar and Assam Minister Atul Bora. Senior officials from both states attended the meeting, which lasted more than three hours.
The Meghalaya government expressed regret over the August 19 incidents and assured Assam that strict legal action would be taken against those found involved in the violence.
Speaking after the meeting, Dhar said a special team had been constituted to identify those involved in the incidents. He said 15 FIRs had so far been registered and that those arrested would face legal proceedings.
Assam Minister Atul Bora said Meghalaya had arrested three KSU leaders, including its president and secretary, in connection with the violence. He added that five persons allegedly involved in attacks on Assam-registered vehicles had been identified.
According to Bora, the Meghalaya government had facilitated the return of more than 300 Assam-registered vehicles that had been stranded in the state. He said Assam vehicles travelling through Meghalaya would be provided security escorts to ensure their safe passage.
A major focus of the meeting was the coordinated movement of stranded vehicles and passengers from Meghalaya to Assam.
The Meghalaya government said more than 3,770 Assam-registered vehicles had already been escorted safely into Assam. The Assam Control Room received 54 distress calls involving 175 people, including passengers travelling in 22 private vehicles and five tourist vehicles.
Meghalaya’s Control Room, meanwhile, received 379 distress calls and has been assisting people seeking safe transit.
Around 400-500 vehicles that had earlier been stranded in Meghalaya have also crossed key transit points, including the Umiam Lake stretch.
The two governments decided that passengers and vehicles still stranded in Meghalaya would be escorted safely to Assam within the next 48 hours. A dedicated exercise will be undertaken to assist tourists and vehicle operators seeking to return to Assam.
