Mukroh clashes: Meghalaya CM to visit New Delhi today, discuss border situation with Shah

Shillong, Nov. 24 (PTI): Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma will on Thursday lead a cabinet delegation to New Delhi to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah and discuss the tense border situation between Assam and the hill state following clashes in Mukroh village, and also demand a federal probe into the violence.

The meeting, slated for Thursday evening, comes a day after the Assam Cabinet announced that it will hand over the probe into the violence to the CBI, and asked the state police to show restraint while dealing with civilian disturbances.

Trouble started after Assam forest guards intercepted a Meghalaya vehicle carrying what was suspected to be illegally felled timber in West Karbi Anglong district along the Assam-Meghalaya border in the early hours of Tuesday. In the melee that followed, five tribal villagers from Meghalaya and a forest guard were killed.

Tension brewed in border areas in the aftermath of the incident, with an Assam forest office being burnt down by angry villagers as well as some vehicles from the neighbouring state in different parts of Meghalaya.

Meanwhile, at least five social organisations here have on Thursday announced a two-day peaceful agitation, demanding stern action against those responsible for the incident at Mukroh village.

The state government has directed the district administration to maintain vigil to prevent any untoward incident in the area, a senior home department official told PTI.

Sangma and other senior state government officials had on Wednesday visited Mukroh, and handed over Rs 5 lakh ex-gratia payment to the next of kin of each of the five persons who were killed during the clashes.

Interacting with the family members of the deceased, the chief minister expressed his condolences on behalf of the state government, and told them that all official functions and festivals have been cancelled in the wake of the incident.