Curfew in Shillong amid violence; Meghalaya Home Minister resigns

Meghalaya home minister Lahkmen Rymbui resigned on Sunday, saying that former rebel leader Cherishstarfield Thangkhiew was "killed following the raid of police at his residence exceeding the lawful tenets of the law". This was followed by the Meghalaya government announcing a curfew in Shillong and suspension of internet services in at least four districts. Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said the state government has received inputs from multiple agencies that attempts are being made to trigger a blast in Shillong, news agency ANI reported.

Rymbui resigned amid vandalism and arson over the police encounter of Thangkhiew last week. 

Later on Sunday, petrol bombs were thrown at CM Conrad Sangma's personal residence, NDTV reported. 

Rymbui in his resignation called for a judicial probe “to bring out the truth” in the killing of Thangkhiew. "Considering the gravity of the situation, I would request you to relieve the Home (Police) Department from me with immediate effect,” he wrote in his resignation to Sangma. 

Thangkhiew, who was general secretary of banned Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council, had surrendered in 2018 and was suspected to be the mastermind behind a spate of IED attacks, police said, media reports quoted.

After the death of Thangkhiew, Shillong has been witnessing an uneasy calm as hundreds of people, in black clothes and carrying black flags, participated in his funeral procession on Sunday. Thangkhiew's family has termed his death a "cold-blooded murder by the police".

Protesters vandalised government vehicles and set ablaze a police vehicle in Shillong’s Jaiaw area, the police said. 

People lined up in the streets of Shillong with black flags, and condemned police and the state government for the death of Thangkhiew.