Assam Meghalaya Border: Shillong’s Cherry Blossom Festival Has Been Cancelled.
The Meghalaya government has decided to cancel the state’s Cherry Blossom Festival.
The Shillong Literary Festival, part of the Shillong Cherry Blossom Festival 2022, has been cancelled due to the violence and killings of four people, including an Assam forest guard, in Assam’s West Karbi Anglong district near the border with Meghalaya on Tuesday morning.
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma declared an emergency on Tuesday, along with village chiefs and religious leaders, and announced the cancellation of the Shillong Literary Festival’s second edition.
The Meghalaya Government strongly condemns the incident where the Assam Police & Assam Forest Guards entered Meghalaya & resorted to unprovoked firing.
GoM will take all steps to ensure that justice is served & action is taken against those responsible in this inhuman act.
— Conrad Sangma (@SangmaConrad) November 22, 2022
Taking To Twitter CM Sangma wrote, “As a mark of respect & mourning for the deceased, the State Govt has decided to cancel all official festivals including the Shillong Cherry Blossom Festival Hon’ble Home Minister, @LahkmenR has reached the spot of the incident & FIR has been registered by the @MeghalayaPolice.”
On the other hand, CM Sangma condemning the incident wrote, “The Meghalaya Government strongly condemns the incident where the Assam Police & Assam Forest Guards entered Meghalaya & resorted to unprovoked firing. GoM will take all steps to ensure that justice is served & action is taken against those responsible for this inhuman act.”
The Chief Minister, who called an emergency meeting today, stated that the Meghalaya government would contact the Union Home Minister to express its concerns about the Mukroh incident.
According to reports, around 3 a.m. this morning, a timber-carrying truck was asked to stop at a police checkpoint in Moikrang, West Karbi Anglong, along the Assam-Meghalaya border. The truck did not come to a halt and continued on its way.
Police pursued the truck and eventually stopped it by puncturing one of its tires. Three people were apprehended and taken to Jirikinding.
On Tuesday, three Jaintia civilians from West Jaintia Hills and an Assam forest guard were killed in a border dispute.
Meghalaya DGP LR Bishnoi confirmed the incident, stating that it occurred near the border in the Mukroh area.
Tensions rose when forest dwellers in Meghalaya were barred from illegally transporting wood from Assam’s Karbi Anglong.
