Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Shillong: The Meghalaya High Court hammered state police on Wednesday, September 2, for moving too slow on arrests after a violent bike rally rocked Shillong. Chief Justice Tevati Mohite Dere and Justice W Diengdoh blasted the force for booking just four suspects despite reports that hundreds joined the vandalism and assaults.
The bench took up the matter through a suo motu PIL. Investigators told the court they have logged 22 FIRs across five stations: four at Shillong Sadar, nine at Rynjah, seven at Mawlai, and one each at Laitumkhrah and Lumdiengjri. Police currently have four Khasi Students Union leaders in custody and have seized two vehicles linked to the chaos. Detectives are also grinding through data from eight mobile phones and CCTV feeds pulled from 27 different spots.
The judges remained unimpressed by the police response. They questioned why officers allowed the rally to continue after participants clearly broke district-mandated conditions. The court demanded to know if the procession was filmed from the start and whether officers actually tried to stop the beatings and property damage. The bench told the Inspector General of Police that those responsible for the attacks must face justice. "Those who assaulted people or damaged property should not go unpunished," the court stated.
The court now requires the Inspector General of Police, the East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police, and the officers-in-charge of the Shillong Sadar and Lumdiengjri stations to appear in person for a follow-up hearing on September 7. They must deliver a detailed progress report on the hunt for the remaining mob members.
Comments