Shillong, September 19: Tension erupted at Maikhuli village in Ri Bhoi district on Saturday after an altercation broke out between women residents of the village and a group of men from Assam over an alleged attempt to encroach upon the school playground and a public access road.
The incident occurred at around 10:30 am when some men from Assam allegedly erected bamboo barricades along the pathway leading to the village playground and a road commonly used by the public. They also allegedly damaged a school boundary wall using a crowbar.
According to local residents, women from Maikhuli intervened after noticing the alleged obstruction, leading to a heated verbal exchange and a scuffle between the two sides. The villagers subsequently removed the bamboo barricades, which they alleged had been put up with the intention of extending into Maikhuli village.
Following information about the incident, Ri Bhoi district authorities and police rushed to the spot to bring the situation under control. The team included Additional Deputy Commissioner N. Hajong, Magistrate Akash Marak and Additional Superintendent of Police M. Marngar, along with police personnel from Khanapara and Pilangkata.
Members of civil society organisations, including the FKJGP Raid Marwet and FKJGP North Khasi Hills District, along with leaders of the ARMPF, also visited the area and expressed support for the residents of Maikhuli.
The organisations commended the women residents for what they described as their efforts to protect the village’s boundary. The incident has highlighted continuing tensions along the Meghalaya-Assam border, with authorities intervening to prevent the situation from escalating further.
