‘Not happy’: Meghalaya HC questions police over August 19 violence probe

The Meghalaya High Court expressed dissatisfaction with the police investigation into the August 19 Shillong violence, questioning why officers did not prevent a Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) black-flag bike rally from proceeding as planned. Chief Justice Revati Mohite Dere and Justice W Diengdoh were unhappy with the investigation's progress and raised pointed questions about the police response before, during, and after the procession.

The court stated it was "not happy" with the investigation and asked why more people were not arrested for the violence, given that 22 FIRs were registered despite only four arrests. The bench inquired about the lack of police intervention, questioning whether the procession had been recorded and whether officers acted once violations became apparent.

The court expressed concern over the lack of arrests and stressed that investigators should identify and apprehend those responsible for individual acts of violence. The high court directed the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to produce the case diary and ordered police officers to appear in person at the next hearing to explain the progress of the probe, with a status report due on September 7.