Five accused involved in the assault of two taxi drivers were remanded to five-days police custody.
The taxi drivers, Iohborlang Kharsohnoh and Banshai Syiem of Laitkor were reportedly assaulted at Khyndailad on May 18 that led to a protest by cabbies who went off the road yesterday that also plunged the city into a state of tension.
In the evening, police announced the arrest of five persons from Guwahati even as memes were circulated around on the similarity of shoes that the accused were wearing to cast doubt on the arrest made.
Members of the East Khasi Hills Local Taxi Welfare Association and the Hynñiewtrep National Youth Movement this morning made an attempt to enter the Sadar Police Station to get an assurance from the police if the arrest made was “fake” or not.
Five-member delegation representing the taxi drivers, including two witnesses, met the police officials as they wanted to identify the accused.
President of the association Wandonbok Jyrwa confirmed the arrest of the five individuals and said since identification of the accused cannot be facilitated by the police but only by the court.
Harijan Panchayat Committee (HPC) secretary Gurjit Singh also visited the police station to confirm who were those arrested as it is reported that they belonged to the Sweeper’s Colony.
He told reporters that it is a sensitive issue and nothing has been revealed to them by the police.
Meanwhile, Singh alleged that some miscreants pelted stones at houses in the colony yesterday afternoon as residents came out of their houses.
Asked about a viral video showing a group of people coming out with daggers he denied that the people had carried sharp weapons and said, “If houses are pelted with stones naturally people will come out of their homes to check on who did it.”
Singh said he was not present during that time and called for peace among all the communities.
