Shillong violence: Assam-Meghalaya hold joint meeting
SHILLONG: A joint meeting between the Governments of Meghalaya and Assam was held Saturday at Koinadhara State Guest House prompted by the events in Shillong on August 19, 2026. The meeting was chaired by Dr S Dhar, Deputy Chief Minister of Meghalaya and Atul Bora, Minister of Assam, along with senior officials from both states.
Key decisions arising from the meeting include -
1. Acknowledgment: The Government of Meghalaya expressed regret over the 'unfortunate' incidents and committed to action against those involved.
2. Arrests: The leadership of the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) has been arrested under the Meghalaya Maintenance of Public Order Act.
3. FIR: A total of 15 FIRs have been filed in relation to the August 19 incidents.
4. Identification: Five masked persons identified as participants in the violence particularly the assaults on Assam-registered vehicles.
5. SIT: An SIT has been established to investigate the violence and ensure prosecution of those responsible for attacks on Assam-registered vehicles.
6. Safety: Over 3,770 Assam-registered vehicles have been safely escorted from Meghalaya to Assam.
7. Support: The Assam Control Room received 54 distress calls involving 175 persons who required assistance for evacuation. Meghalaya's Control Room reported 379 distress calls with measures in place for safe transit.
8. Evacuations: All remaining passengers and vehicles will be safely escorted to Assam within 48 hours with dedicated efforts to assist each tourist or vehicle.
9. HOTLINE: A coordination mechanism between the Inspector Generals of both states will facilitate communication and support for those stranded. This includes a dedicated online support forum with hotline numbers for assistance.
10. Committees: Joint committees will be formed in the districts of Nongpoh and Kamrup Metropolitan to address ongoing inter-State border issues promptly.
11. Tourists: This committee will include Transport authorities and representatives from tourist vehicle associations to regulate transport and promote tourism in both states.
12. Transit: Both governments have pledged to ensure secure transit for vehicles traveling through the southern parts of Assam.