‘Identify all those involved’: Gaurav Gogoi urges Meghalaya to arrest guilty after Shillong violence

Assam Congress president and MP Gaurav Gogoi on August 20 urged the Meghalaya government to identify and arrest those responsible for the violence reported in Shillong on August 19, saying the use of masks and stones raised concerns over law and order.

“I urge the Meghalaya Government to identify all those involved in yesterday’s unprovoked violence and arrest the guilty,” Gogoi said in a post on X.

“The sight of black masks and stones does not bode well for peace and law & order,” he added.

Gogoi’s remarks came a day after an Assam family travelling to Shillong was allegedly caught up in the violence that broke out during a Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) rally in the Meghalaya capital.

The family’s vehicle was reportedly vandalised, with its windows, windscreen and rear glass damaged. The child travelling inside the car was allegedly injured by shattered glass.

In a video that surfaced online, the child’s father said the vehicle was attacked without warning while the family was travelling towards Shillong.

“They attacked our vehicle out of nowhere. My child was inside and has been injured. Glass pieces pierced him,” he said in the video.

The incident was reported amid escalating violence along the rally route, where several people were allegedly assaulted and multiple vehicles vandalised. Masked individuals were reportedly seen targeting vehicles, including private cars, government vehicles and those bearing Assam registration plates.

Some of those involved were allegedly heard raising pro-KSU slogans. However, the identities of the individuals involved and their organisational affiliations have not been independently established.

Several people were reportedly injured during the violence, while some vehicles were allegedly set on fire, triggering panic among motorists and pedestrians.

The reported attacks on Assam-registered vehicles have also raised concerns among transport operators, tourists and commuters who regularly travel between Assam and Meghalaya.

Motor vehicle workers’ unions have condemned the reported incidents and expressed concern over the safety of drivers, passengers and tourists using the route, while also warning of possible disruptions to transport movement between the neighbouring states.

Several videos of the violence have emerged online, but the circumstances surrounding individual attacks and the identities of those responsible remain unclear. The incidents are expected to be examined as part of the investigation into Wednesday’s violence.