Shillong, August 21, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Tensions remained high in Shillong on Friday as three senior leaders of the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU), arrested in connection with violence during the organisation’s rally, were set to be shifted from the Meghalaya capital to separate jails in Garo Hills under heightened security, officials said.
KSU vice-president Pynkmenlang Sanmiet and general secretary Reuben Najiar are expected to be taken to Tura, while KSU president Raymond Kharjana is to be shifted to Williamnagar.
The three leaders were produced before the District and Sessions Court in Shillong on Thursday and remanded to 14 days’ judicial custody following their arrest over the violence that broke out during the KSU’s bike rally.
The arrests came on Wednesday evening after a protest centred on a five-point charter of demands escalated into violence at several locations across Shillong.
The KSU had organised public meetings on August 17 and 18 before holding the rally following the expiry of its 15-day deadline to the Meghalaya government. Its demands included action concerning the proposed public hearing for the Shree Cement project in East Jaintia Hills, recruitment reforms through the Meghalaya Public Service Commission and District Selection Committees, stronger implementation of the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRSSA), recruitment reforms at NEIGRIHMS and amendments related to migrant workers.
The organisation had also sought action against officials associated with the July 31 public hearing for the Shree Cement project and demanded stronger implementation of the MRSSA through entry-point checking centres.
The protest later turned violent, with incidents of stone-pelting, clashes and attacks on vehicles reported from different parts of Shillong. Government vehicles, public property and vehicles registered outside Meghalaya were among those targeted.
Deputy Chief Minister in charge of Home (Police) Prestone Tynsong alleged that some masked participants appeared prepared for a confrontation and accused them of attacking government and public vehicles, including vehicles from Assam.
Police have registered 15 FIRs in connection with the violence. Officials said 16 people were injured, while at least 31 vehicles were vandalised and two were set on fire. Police are continuing efforts to identify and trace others allegedly involved in the incidents.
Amid the tense law-and-order situation, the Ministry of Home Affairs has approved additional central security forces for deployment in Meghalaya. Four companies of the Central Reserve Police Force and one company of the Rapid Action Force have been sanctioned until August 25.
The proposed transfer of the three KSU leaders, along with their judicial custody, has added to tensions between the student organisation and the state government as authorities intensify efforts to restore normalcy and investigate the violence.
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