Shillong, Jun 7: Police are observing the law and order situation which is slowly returning to normalcy, amid inputs that some vested interests still want to instigate in order not to end the violent protest which has affected normal life in the whole city and East Khasi Hills district.

No fresh protest or untoward incident was reported in the past two days. The district administration is yet to lift the curfew from Motphran area and other affected areas under Lumdiengjri PS and Cantonment Beat House, besides night curfew in the entire city.

Police have detained around 40 persons for their alleged direct involvement in stone-pelting incidents during the agitation which caused injury to over 100 police personnel during the violent protest that lasted for five days in the state capital since May 31 night till Monday.

SP (City) Steve Rynjah told reporters that around 40 persons were arrested for their direct involvement in creating trouble and carrying objects with an intention to hurt police personnel besides destroying public property.

There are also a number of persons who were detained by police for violating the curfew order, but they were released without any case registered against them.

“Many of the arrested persons were under the influence of alcohol when they were arrested, and all have been forwarded to the court,” he said.

One police personnel was seriously injured and got 32 stiches on the head as angry protesters used catapults to fire marbles and stones at security personnel who were on duty during the violent agitation.

“This was due to the fact that police who were deployed at the affected areas have exercised maximum restrain to ensure that no harm is caused to the civilians,” Rynjah said.

Rynjah himself was injured during the protest as he was hit by an object from behind while helping one of the protesters, who fell on the ground after he was hit by a stone threw by protesters from behind.

Stating that the situation in the city is limping back to normalcy, the SP (City) said that there are reports suggesting that some vested interests still want to instigate and do not want the violence to end.

“We are still investigating to find out whether this is a group or personal interest,” he said.

Adequate security is being deployed round the clock at Motphran and Them ïew Mawlong areas as preventive measures.

Rynjah also said that police are working together with Dorbar Shnongs to ensure peace and tranquility in the areas keeping in mind that majority of the protesters of the recent protest are not from the affected localities.

Asked if arrested persons belonged to any group, the SP said that the arrested protesters have not been identified as pressure groups but as individuals who have come from outskirts of the city and other districts which include West Khasi Hills, South West Khasi Hills and Ri Bhoi.

“On preliminary interrogation, majority of them (arrested protesters) were not aware as to what was the issue of the violent protest all about, but they only claimed that it was a state issue,” he said.

The SP (City) also informed that some houses were damaged due to stone-pelting incidents and at the Synod shopping complex, police were cleaning pieces of broken glasses and stones by themselves.

The protesters had also damaged tiles and railings erected on the footpaths in the affected localities especially Mawkhar area and wrote foul languages on the walls.