Source: The Sangai Express
Shillong, October 01:
The situation in Tura and Williamnagar, where altogether nine persons were killed in firing by police and CRPF yesterday, continued to be tense with curfew being clamped in the two district towns.
There was no fresh report of violence from the area but personnel of BSF and CRPF were patrolling the streets and the army was asked to stand by.
However, people preferred to remain indoors today, official sources said.
Residence of ministers in the Garo Hills region were given special protection, they added.
District Magistrates of both East and West Garo Hills districts ordered magisterial enquiry into the incidents.
The sources maintained that the death toll was nine and denied reports in a section of the media that it was 11 or 12.Four persons were killed in West Garo Hills district town Tura and five in East Garo Hills district headquarters Williamnagar in the firing after participants of rallies, organised by the Garo Students Union (GSU) on the MBOSE issue, turned violent.
The government announced an ex-gratia payment of Rupees one lakh to the next of kin of each deceased person and directed the district magistrates to have all injured persons treated free of cost in local government hospitals.
Doctors were directed to attend to duties round the clock.
The number of injured persons were put at 89 with many more having minor injuries.
Among the injured were an Additional Superintendent of Police and an Additional District Magistrate.
The violence erupted almost simultaneously in the two districts around 10:00 am yesterday after students and people gathered at the call of the GSU defying prohibitory orders.
The police and the security forces, the sources said, used canes and teargas shells, but when this proved ineffective, opened fire.