- Thursday, February 27, 2025
Five security personnel were reportedly injured as protesters started pelting stones at chief minister Conrad Sangma’s office in Tura on Monday evening.
By: Shubham Ghosh
AT a time when the north-eastern Indian state of Manipur is witnessing months-long ethnic violence, Meghalaya, another state in the region also witnessed disturbances on Monday (24) when a mob attacked the office of its chief minister Conrad Sangma and left five security personnel injured.
The chief minister was unharmed.
He was, however, still inside his office in the state’s Tura area. his birth place and which he also represents in the state assembly, as hundreds surrounded the compound.
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Trouble started on Monday evening when the protesters gathered outside the CM’s office and started pelting stones. The security guards were injured in the attack and they were brought inside the office.
Visuals from the spot showed the injured men lying on the floor with the chief minister himself attending them, NDTV reported.
The chief minister was safe but he was reportedly unable to exit his office as the protesters put up a blockade.
Sangma belongs to the National People’s Party, an ally of prime minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party.
Sangma’s office said the situation was under control.
It was reported that the chief minister was talking to protesters when some people in the crowd started pelting stones.
“Discussions were going on, we had already agreed to meet in Shillong (state capital) to further discuss the matter with all stakeholders, and the NGOs seemed more or less satisfied. A majority of the society and NGOs were not part of this fasting protest, only two-three of them were there. 90 per cent of the organisations weren’t part of this,” Sangma was quoted as saying in a video statement, the NDTV report added.
“Even then, I believe that dialogue is important. Hence, I made a point to meet them. After the discussion was almost over, we heard sloganeering from outside. I asked them not to create any scene out here. Their leaders (of the NGOs in talks) went outside to speak to the people. They came back and said they did not know who these people were, never seen them before during the fasting protest,” the CM said, adding the leaders took shelter inside as they were unable to leave.
Some civil society groups have been seeking a winter capital of the state in Tura.
Sangma reportedly has asked the protesters for talks over a discussion on the demand for a winter capital and reservation of jobs.
