Guwahati, July 25, 2023: Tura, the bustling town in Meghalaya, witnessed scenes of unrest and chaos as protesters turned violent, attacking the Mini Secretariat on Saturday. Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, accompanied by PHE Minister Marcusie Marak and other state officials, found themselves trapped inside the Secretariat amidst the escalating violence.

The protest, led by the group ACHIK, saw thousands of demonstrators pelting stones at the Secretariat, resulting in injuries to at least five police personnel. In response to the deteriorating situation, night curfew was immediately imposed in Tura town.

As the situation unfolded, an ambulance meant to serve the hunger strikers was also damaged and later set on fire. The pandal where the protest was being held was not spared either and was engulfed in flames.

CM Sangma, addressing the incident, announced compensation of Rs 50,000 for each injured police personnel and assured that all medical expenses would be taken care of by the state government.

The ACHIK group had been staging a 13-day hunger strike with two main demands – the establishment of a Winter Capital in Tura and the clearance of job backlogs for the Garo community.

As the violence escalated, a considerable number of policemen and CRPF personnel rushed to the scene. Tear gas shells were used to disperse the crowd, but the situation remained tense.

The root cause of the violent outburst leading to the Chief Minister’s confinement within his office is yet to be determined. Sources present during the meeting at the CMO office reported that a partial resolution was being discussed but was interrupted by the agitation. Protesters raised slogans and expressed dissatisfaction with the current NPP-led government.

Attempts were made to engage with the protesting groups through NGO members, but the organizers claimed limited knowledge about most of the groups and believed their voices were not being heard.

While the CM remained inside the premises, three policemen, one policewoman, and a woman home guard were among those injured during the violent protests.

“I am still here overseeing matters. As many of our people have been injured, I don’t want to leave them in this condition. The situation is improving, and we hope normalcy will soon be restored,” the CM expressed during a conversation with a news channel.