Guwahati, Aug 21: A woman from Meghalaya carrying a basket of vegetables was seen telling people at Jorabat on Friday that she was from Assam. The short video, shared by a local news channel, shows her adjusting the heavy load on her back while walking along the roadside. She had come to sell her produce but, according to the report, claimed Assamese identity after seeing the ongoing protests.
The moment captured the anxiety that has gripped the Assam-Meghalaya border since Wednesday’s violence in Shillong.
Trouble began on August 19 when a black-flag bike rally by the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) in Shillong turned violent. Masked riders with covered number plates allegedly attacked vehicles and people. Police said 31 vehicles were damaged, most of them Assam-registered, two were set on fire, and 16 people were injured. Stone-pelting, arson and assaults were reported from several areas of the city.
Three senior KSU leaders — president Raymond Kharjana, vice-president Pynkmenlang Sanmiet and general secretary Reuben Najiar — were arrested the same night and sent to 14 days’ judicial custody. Fifteen FIRs have been registered.
The next day, Guwahati-based cab operators and members of the Assam State Drivers’ Association blocked the highway at Jorabat and Khanapara. Meghalaya-registered vehicles were stopped from entering or leaving Assam. Ambulances were allowed to pass, but ordinary passengers were forced to change vehicles at the border. The blockade continued on Friday, with reports that the Byrnihat–Jorabat stretch was blocked from both sides at places.
Assam Police have opened helplines — WhatsApp 9181014888 and landline 0361-2381511 — for people stranded in Meghalaya or facing difficulties on the road.
Chief Ministers Himanta Biswa Sarma and Conrad K. Sangma spoke on Thursday and agreed to work together to restore normalcy. Assam’s Border Protection Minister Atul Bora has been asked to coordinate with Meghalaya officials. Cabinet ministers from both states are expected to meet soon. The Centre has sent five companies of central forces to Meghalaya till August 25.
The two states share a long border with several unresolved disputed sectors. Six areas were settled under a 2022 agreement, but the remaining ones, including Langpih and Lapangap-Mukroh, continue to cause friction from time to time.
On Friday, the situation at Jorabat remained tense. Transporters say they want a clear assurance that Assam vehicles and drivers will not be targeted in Meghalaya. For ordinary people like the vegetable seller, the border has suddenly become a place where identity itself feels unsafe.
