Shillong: The Khasi Students’ Union issued a stern warning to NEIGRIHMS Director Nalin Mehta on Monday. They want recruitment policy changes honored or they will restart protests. KSU general secretary Reuben A. Najiar says commitments from a May 5, 2025 meeting remain unfulfilled. That meeting halted an earlier sit-in strike. The union demands an 80:20 female-to-male nursing ratio and localized recruitment exams. They also want reservation quotas for indigenous communities revised.
The union fears the Governing Council will ignore these demands during an upcoming meeting. If hiring begins without a resolution, the KSU promised extreme resistance. The student body also met with East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police Vivek Syiem to demand the immediate arrest of a male nurse accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old patient on July 4. The victim, who was recovering from an appendicitis operation, was allegedly left alone with the nurse in an observation room. She reported the incident to her mother, and the family filed an FIR at the Mawdiangdiang police outpost that same day.
KSU leaders are fuming over the slow police response. They noted the accused remains free nearly two weeks later. Najiar said, "We urged the police to immediately arrest the accused. Although this is a cognisable and non-bailable offence, yet no arrest has been made so far." The union wants the accused fired and arrested before he flees Shillong.
Tensions remain high following a July 7 demonstration by hospital staff. KSU members alleged these employees protested in support of the accused nurse. Najiar requested that police investigate those staff members for abetting the crime. The union specifically urged authorities to invoke Section 17 of the POCSO Act against anyone covering for the suspect. They want all involved staff suspended to protect witnesses and prevent evidence tampering. The KSU is now pushing the Meghalaya government to halt any Governing Council meeting until these urgent matters are settled.
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