Shillong, Mar 3: Night curfew continued in the state capital, Shillong and no incident of fresh violence was reported.

Home Minister, Lahkmen Rymbui appealed for maintenance of peace and tranquillity and chaired a peace meeting with religious leaders and prominent citizens on Tuesday.

“Night curfew will continue as there is apprehension of serious deterioration of law and order in Shillong agglomeration and adjoining areas,” East Khasi Hills, District Magistrate, Matsiewdor War Nongbri said.

The night curfew will come into effect from 9 pm to 6 am on Wednesday.

Nongbri, however, said that curfew continues to be imposed in ïewduh, Motphran, Police Bazaar, ïew Mawlong until further orders.

“The situation is totally under control but we keeping a close watch and all precautionary steps have been taken to prevent any untoward incident,” she said.

Curfew in Sohra and Shella areas has been re-imposed from 6pm on Tuesday till 8am on Wednesday.

No untoward incidents were reported in Meghalaya on Tuesday.

Additional personnel of Rapid Action Force (RAF) will also arrive in Shillong.

Mobile internet service will continue to be suspended for the next 24 hours from 2200 hours in four districts – East Khasi Hills, West Khasi Hills, South West Khasi Hills and Ri-Bhoi.

However, the government has decided to lift the ban on mobile internet service in East and West Jaintia hills district from 2200 hours on Tuesday night.

Meanwhile, a peace meeting with religious leaders and prominent citizen chaired by Home Minister Rymbui underscored the importance of maintaining communal harmony.

“Those present said there should not be a feeling of communal disharmony among the different section of people and the law should not be one sided and should be balanced,” Rymbui told journalists.

The meeting was convened by the government to seek the assistance of the religious leaders and other citizens to diffuse the violence in the Khasi hills region, which erupted after a Khasi Student’s Union member was killed in Ichamati village last Friday.

The death toll in the clashes between tribal and non-tribal groups in the state rose to three on Sunday after a non-tribal was killed by three unidentified people at his house in East Khasi Hills district.

The clashes had broken out between KSU members and non-tribals during a rally organised against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and to demand the implementation of Inner Line Permit (ILP) in Meghalaya.

Eight people have been arrested in connection with Ichamati incident and a magisterial inquiry has been instituted to probe into the incident.

Those present in the meeting also support the Conrad Sangma-led government’s effort to urge the Centre to implement the ILP in the state.

“They understood that the government is serious on the issue of ILP as it is a demand of the people and the government should seriously pursue the resolution on ILP passed by the Assembly with the Union government and implement it in the state,” Rymbui said.

Moreover, he said that the meetings also suggested that other existing laws that can protect the people of the state should be strengthened, and another discussion was on the on-going examinations that should not be disturbed as it will affect the career of our future generations.

Appealing for peace, the Home Minister said peace is of utmost importance, especially at this juncture as students are sitting for their board exams.

“I also told them that not only that there are the board exams, but these two-three months are crucial for the youth of the state,” the home minister said.

He informed that apart from the class X and XII exams, there is the police recruitment process from March 17, for thousands of aspirants. Moreover, there is the JEE in April and NEET exams in May-June.

“We will try to address all the issues concerning our youth and the people of the state,” Rymbui assured.