Guwahati:

Meghalaya’s Khasi and Jaintia hills are on high alert after two student union members were arrested on Wednesday following the deaths of two people in the state last week.

Police arrested Shanborlang Shati and Mesadapbor Skhembil, members of the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU), in connection with the killing of two men in Ichamati last week after a protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. The two men were produced in court and sent to seven days’ police custody.

The bodies of Ishan Singh and Sujit Dutta had been found close to the Bangladesh border and about 80 km from Meghalaya’s capital Shillong. Police are yet to confirm whether the killings are related to the protest.

A crowd of 300 people led by the KSU gathered at Sohra police station to protest the arrests, demanding that its cadre not be “hunted like militants”.

A police vehicle was burned after unidentified persons hurled a petrol bomb at Shillong’s Malwai police station, East Khasi Hills District police chief Rituraj Ravi said, adding that the arrests were based on “strong evidence.” “They are protesting against the arrests made and we have explained that we are investigating the two murders and law shall take its own course,” he said.

The members of Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) have written to President Draupadi Murmu over the March 27 killings, alleging the murders were a “stark reminder of the reign of terror against the non-tribal communities residing in Meghalaya.”

“Two innocent Hindus (Ishan Singh & Sujit Dutta) have been brutally murdered in Ichamati, a village in East Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya, after an anti-CAA rally. A pressure group organised an anti-CAA rally which led to the murder of two innocent Hindus by unknown miscreants, as widely reported in the media”, reads the letter.

Two persons were allegedly beaten to death by miscreants at Ichamati under Shella police station in East Khasi Hills district on Wednesday evening.

The incident took place after the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) rally organized by the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) along with other NGOs at Ichamati, police sources informed.

Some criminal elements may have taken advantage of the situation and murdered the two persons, who belonged to non-indigenous communities, they said.

East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner SC Sadhu confirmed the death of two persons and added that the details are awaited.

Sources informed that the situation is tense and reinforcements are being sent.

All Superintendents of Police are instructed to be alert and intensify foot/mobile patrolling in their respective jurisdiction.

They have also been asked to organize peace meetings tomorrow.

District police chief Rituraj Ravi said the two dead bodies of L Esan Sing and L Sujit Dutta were found at Ichamati and Dalda respectively.

“Inquest and post mortem are yet to be done. Teams from local PS and additional teams from Shillong are at site. Further details to be shared,” he said.