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High-level talks between the governments of Assam and Meghalaya took place on Saturday at State Guest House No. 1 in Khanapara, Guwahati, to address the prevailing situation along the shared border following violent incidents in Shillong.
The meeting was attended by Assam Border Protection and Development Minister Atul Bora, Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister S. Dhar, and senior officials from both states. The deliberations were held amid heightened border tensions triggered by an August 19 protest rally organised by the Khasi Students' Union (KSU) in Shillong. During the KSU's black flag bike rally, which allegedly turned violent, several vehicles, including Assam-registered vehicles, were damaged, alongside reports of stone-pelting, arson, and attacks across different parts of Shillong. Allegations also surfaced regarding the vandalisation of statues of Swami Vivekananda and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. On August 19, Meghalaya Police arrested three top KSU leaders in connection with the violence, though union leaders claimed external elements joined the rally to divert the agitation from its original intent. The demonstration was part of the KSU's ongoing campaign for a five-point charter of demands, which includes reforms in Meghalaya Public Service Commission recruitment and the implementation of the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act. In response to the incidents, drivers of Assam-registered vehicles held protests on August 20 in Khanapara, demanding an official inquiry from the Meghalaya government. Concurrently, the Assam Drivers' Association and other regional groups have been staging protests in the Jorabat area along the Assam-Meghalaya border for a third consecutive day. Earlier, the Deputy Commissioner of East Khasi Hills District, Abhilash Baranwal, stated that the district administration would no longer grant permission to the KSU to hold a sit-in protest at Khyndai Lad on August 21. The DC earlier said that the incident had disrupted peace and public order, resulting in injuries to people and damage to goods and vehicles. (ANI)
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