outsiders in the state. Those protests were backed by 14 civil society groups with the Khasi Students’ Union – which has a reputation of being hostile to non-tribal outsiders ­ – at the forefront.

However, during a joint press briefing on Saturday along with its old allies – the Federation of Khasi-Jaintia and Garo People and the Hynniewtrep National Youth Front – the Khasi Students’ Union demanded stringent punishment for the people accused of assaulting the Khasi men, government compensation for the victims and the eviction of residents from Punjabi Line.

Women make chapatis at the community kitchen in the gurdwara.

Khasi Students’ Union president Lambok Starwell Marngar alleged that the police was responsible for the current situation. “The victim did not want to compromise but the police convinced them tocompromise,” he claimed.

Donald Thabah of the Khasi Students Union claimed that Khasi protestors had faced the maximum wrath of the police, with over 80 people being treated in hospital for injuries sustained from tear gas shells. When told that the mob had used petrol bombs, he said that the mob had started to disperse on Thursday, after the magistrate asked them to maintain the peace and return home. But anger was reignited when the Sikh residents of the locality then started laughing and jeering at them, he said.

Thabah told Scroll.in that there were reports that Home Minister James Sangma had agreed to the demands of the agitators. But Chief Minister Conrad Sangma told Scroll.in: “We have asked for a status report on the situation and will take a