Meghalaya chief minister Conrad K Sangma on Monday said that the state government will bear the expenditure involved in the treatment of people injured in the violent attacks that occurred at Ichamati and Shillong city in the last few days.
The chief minister along with home minister Lahkmen Rymbui, health minister A.L. Hek and GAD minister Comingone Ymbon paid a visit to Shillong Civil Hospital where the injured persons are being treated.
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After visiting the injured persons at Shillong Civil Hospital, the Chief Minister told reporters that necessary medical care was being administered to the injured, and the condition of most of them are stable.
Some of the victims required medical operations to be performed.
“Once these procedures (operations) are completed, the injured people should be out of danger,” the chief minister said.
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Sangma also said that all medical expenditure involved in the treatment of the victims will be borne by the government.
In connection with the violent attacks at Ichamati and Shillong which left several people injured, the chief minister said, “All necessary actions that need to be taken, the government has been very prompt and police are also very prompt. The law will accordingly take its own course.”
No need for any kind of violence: CM
The chief minister reiterated his appeal to different stakeholders and organizations not to take any kind of violent route and must ensure peace.
“People responsible for this particular violence, action will be taken against them and the people responsible for other action that caused injury to so many people, action will be taken against them. Therefore, there is no need for any kind of violence as government and police are very serious, and we are taking up the matters at a very serious level.”
On the opposition Congress, blaming the state government’s failure to handle the law and order situation, the chief minister said, “This is not the time to play politics. This is the time to come together as a political class, citizens of the state and different organizations and look at the overall interest and security of our citizens.
“Therefore, at this point, it is appropriate for me to react to that, and at the same time, I would like to appeal to all our stakeholders including political parties that we all must work unitedly to ensure no further escalation and there is overall peace in the state.”
Police have arrested eight persons in connection with the attack at Ichamati on February 28, which led to the death of one KSU member, Lurshai Hynñiewta.
On stabbing incidents in Shillong city that followed after the Ichamati incident, the chief minister said, these incidents are sporadic, and it is felt that public areas like ïewduh and Khyndai Lad area (Police Bazaar) where there is a large number of non-tribal population, the curfew continued in those areas as preventive measures.
One trader, Rupchand Dewan was killed on Saturday after he was stabbed at ïewduh by miscreants, and many were injured in other stabbing incidents and assaults that took place in Shillong and other places as a fall out of the Ichamati incident.
Another person, Uphas Uddin of Pyrkan village in Shella was killed on Sunday after three miscreants attacked him at his house.
“Incidents like these are not always possible for us to completely look at all aspects, but a lot of measures are being taken specifically to look into this matter. Investigation on incidents that took place at Ïewduh is on and we are getting some information and intelligence on that, but it would not be appropriate for me to say anything,” he said.
On steps taken to ensure no more stabbing incidents, Sangma informed that all measures are being taken from the government’s side.
“Immediately when the situation has unfolded, the government interacted with our state departments as well as Central government and measures were taken to immediately put up all the standard procedures,” he added.
When asked if the Ichamati attack was a pre-planned one, the he said said, “It is difficult for us to say. As I said, the meeting went off peacefully.”
“When everybody starts leaving including the leaders of different organizations and police were also dispersing that something happened which we hope in the magisterial inquiry we will come to know what has really led to the incident. Therefore it is not proper for me to say right now or conclude anything, as we are waiting for an inquiry report,” he said.