Shillong, Nov 22 (UNI) Four Pnar villagers and one Assam forest guard died on the spot following clashes between villagers and Assam police on Tuesday morning at Mukroh village in Meghalaya’s West Jaintia Hills district bordering Assam’s West Karbi Anglong district, a police official said.

Meghalaya Chief Secretary Donald Philips Wahlang said that three civilians and one Assam forest guard died on the spot, while another civilian succumbed to his injuries on the way to Boratoa Primary Health Centre.

According to a Assam police officials, the incident occurred at around 2:30 - 3:00 am when Assam forest guards directed a driver of a vehicle which was loaded with wooden logs to stop.

“However, the driver of the vehicle did not stop forcing the Assam forest guards to fired through a DBBL gun and because of that, the vehicle’s tyre was punctured,” the police official said.

He said the driver of the vehicle and two others, all from the Khasi community, were apprehended
by forest officials and handed over to Assam police.

Later, the Assam police personnel and forest officials went to bring back the loaded truck.

“But when the police and forest officials reached, at around 7:00 - 7:30 am, a huge crowd had gathered around the vehicle. The forest and police officials decided to leave the vehicle and
come back,” the police said.

But the tribal Pnar villagers did not allow the forest and officials to return. “They attacked with daos and sticks. The crowd got violent. Police had to resort to firing. Three civilians and one forest guard died on the spot,” the Assam police official said.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma held an emergency meeting with Home Minister
Lahkmen Rymbui, Chief Secretary Wahlang and senior government officials at his official
residence and took stock of the prevailing situation.

Rymbui flew to Mukroh village to take stock of the ground situation, the Chief Secretary said.
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