Shillong, September 2: Three senior leaders of the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) were produced before the District and Sessions Court, Shillong, on Wednesday in connection with a fresh case registered at Rynjah Police Station over incidents related to the union’s August 19 motorcycle rally.
The leaders—KSU president Raymond Kharjana, general secretary Reuben Najiar and vice-president Pynkmenlang Sanmiet—were brought to court amid tight security.
The trio is already in judicial custody in connection with other cases registered following incidents of violence, assault and damage to vehicles and property during the KSU’s black-flag rally across Shillong.
The rally was organised to press the State Government to act on the union’s five-point charter of demands. However, violence was reported at several locations during the procession.
According to police, around 31 vehicles were damaged, several people were assaulted and government vehicles were set ablaze. Vehicles carrying tourists, as well as those bearing Assam registration numbers, were also allegedly targeted.
Police arrested the three leaders from the KSU central office at Jaïaw on the night of August 19. The following day, the District and Sessions Court remanded them to 14 days’ judicial custody.
They were subsequently produced before different courts as police linked them to separate cases registered at various police stations in connection with incidents during the rally.
Fresh cases have also been registered in connection with damage caused to two Meghalaya High Court vehicles at Mawlai Phudmuri and Mawlai Nonglum.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted to conduct a detailed investigation into the incidents and identify all those allegedly involved.
Meanwhile, while hearing a suo motu Public Interest Litigation concerning the rally-related violence, the Meghalaya High Court directed the police to expedite the investigation and apprehend all those responsible, rather than limiting arrests to the union’s office-bearers.
The KSU has expressed regret over the violence but claimed that unidentified individuals had infiltrated the rally with the intention of damaging property, tarnishing its image and bringing disrepute to the organisation.
Police investigations into the various cases arising from the August 19 rally are continuing.
