Shillong

Three leaders of the Khasi Students' Union (KSU), who were arrested on Wednesday night, August 19, were taken by police on Thursday morning to be produced before the District and Sessions Court in Shillong. The three arrested leaders have been identified as KSU President Raymond Kharjana, Vice President Pynkmen Sanmiet and General Secretary Reuben Naijar. Their arrests came following Wednesday's two-wheeler rally organised by the KSU, during which incidents of violence were reported at different locations in Shillong, including assaults on members of the public and damage to government and other vehicles.

The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) will launch its agitation against the state government on Wednesday with a black-flag bike rally across large parts of Shillong after its 15-day ultimatum expired without response. Addressing a public meeting at Laitumkhrah Police Point on Tuesday, KSU general secretary Reuben Najiar said the Union would begin with a “small” form of protest but intensify the agitation if the government continued to ignore its five-point charter of demands. “From tomorrow, we will take to the streets and begin our public agitation. We will start with a black-flag march across Shillong city to put pressure on and condemn the government,” he said. Najiar also warned that the KSU may be forced to call a bandh if the situation demands it, despite the government’s cautio...

The East Khasi Hills district administration on Tuesday conducted a joint inspection of the Umkaliar River at Urkaliar to assess the extent of pollution and identify measures to prevent waste from reaching the Umkhrah River. The inspection was led by Deputy Commissioner Abhilash Baranwal and brought together government officials, local headmen from Umpling, Nongmensong and Lapalang, officials of the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board and Meghalaya Basin Management Agency besides members of the Operation Clean-Up. Briefing reporters, Baranwal said the inspection was aimed at getting a first-hand assessment of the condition of the river and understanding the sources of pollution. He said the administration will now convene a meeting with all stakeholders to draft a Standard Opera...

The Federation of Shillong Hotels has urged the state government to expedite the expansion of Shillong (Umroi) Airport and restore regional flight services that previously connected the city to various North Eastern capitals. Federation President Parambir Singh noted that while the airport once operated flights to Silchar, Agartala, Dimapur, Dibrugarh, and Guwahati, these services were abruptly stopped. He stressed that these routes should be reinstated while the long-term expansion project is underway. The Federation highlighted that direct connectivity would significantly benefit the state’s tourism sector. Singh pointed out that while 40 per cent of tourists visiting the region explore the wider North East, the remaining 50-60 per cent come specifically to visit Meghalaya. ...

Five pressure groups—JNC, JSU, KSU, HSYF and FKJGP—on Monday launched a surprise sit-in protest in front of the Woh Kiang Nangbah monument within the Deputy Commissioner’s office compound in Khliehriat, strongly opposing the recent public hearing held for Shree Cement in East Jaiñtia Hills. The surprise sit-in formed part of their demand for the Meghalaya Government to immediately cancel the public hearing conducted for Shree Cement. The organisations also demanded that the rights and claims of the traditional landowners of Sutnga and Nongkhlieh Elaka be met, as well as the farmers who hold ownership rights over Lum Syrman, be settled and recognised before any further process is allowed to proceed.

Traffic movement and also of the pedestrians in Laitumkhrah eased considerably on Monday morning after roadside vendors were shifted to designated vending sites identified by the State Government. Officials from the Shillong Municipal Board (SMB), along with police personnel descended on Laitumkhrah in the morning to facilitate the relocation of street vendors to the premises at Brightstarwell Bungalow in Barik and the SMB parking lot at Dhankheti. The exercise was carried out without any major confrontation, with most vendors complying with the direction to move to the designated sites.The streets, which had witnessed congestion due to roadside vending, appeared significantly more open following the relocation. The move comes days after vendors had opposed the proposed relocatio...

South Shillong MLA and Cabinet Minister Sanbor Shullai released development schemes worth over Rs 65.45 crore, sanctioned by the Government, at a gathering held at the State Convention Hall, Shillong, on the occasion of his 60th birthday. The schemes were sanctioned through various departments, including the Chief Minister’s Special Development Fund and the MLA Scheme. Speaking at the gathering, the MLA explained the different schemes to be implemented using the Rs 65 crore allocation. At the same time, Sanbor thanked the Government, including the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Ministers, as well as the officials who supported and worked together to undertake development activities in the South Shillong Constituency. On the occasion, the MLA also cut his birthday cake in the ...

Internationally acclaimed Polish guitarist, composer, and producer Marcin Patrzałek has arrived in Shillong ahead of the Meghalaya leg of his Marcin, Art of Guitar Tour 2026, with the highly anticipated concert scheduled for August 12, 2026, at the Lariti Performing Centre, Mawkasiang, Shillong. Speaking about his arrival in Meghalaya and his first impressions of the State, Marcin expressed his fascination with the region’s natural beauty and distinct character. Sharing about his journey to Shillong he noted, “Even on the drive here, just from the airport, I just couldn't stop taking videos on my phone through the window, just because of the nature, how exotic it is for me. So, I kind of feel like I'm in a different world right now." Marcin also spoke about the energy of Indian audi...

The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) has declared that it won’t obey the restriction imposed on a scheduled public meeting at Khliehriat on August 11 and go ahead with it even without permission. The East Jaintia Hills district administration had in May 2026 prohibited assembly of five or more persons near the DC’s Office. Arguing that the order has expired, the KSU said, “No order under this section shall remain in force for more than two months from the making thereof.” KSU said it wants to hold the meeting in front of the statue of U Kiang Nangbah inside the DC office premises, calling it “a symbol of resistance and inspiration to the Union.” The Union demanded immediate permission and issued a clear warning.

Amid concerns over the environmental impact of the ongoing Shillong Ropeway Project, the State Government on Saturday called stakeholders for an inspection and meeting and clarified that the project has not caused any environmental degradation. Commissioner and Secretary of the Tourism Department, RM Kurbah, responded to queries raised by the Rangbah Shnong and citizens during the meeting. Speaking to media persons after the inspection and meeting, Kurbah clarified that there is no water source near the project site. She also said that the height of the ropeway was initially planned to be much lower. However, after realising that the project could affect trees measuring up to 25 metres in height, the Government prepared a fresh Detailed Project Report (DPR), increasing the height...