6 students killed in Meghalaya police firing

The incident occurred when students were holding an agitation on the Meghalaya Board of School Education (MBOSE) issue.

Several people were killed when police and CRPF opened fire to disperse stone-throwing mob agitating on the Meghalaya Board of School Education (MBOSE) issue in the West Garo Hills town of Tura on Friday, prompting authorities to clamp curfew in the town.

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While the exact number of casualties was yet to be ascertained, state Home Minister Mukul Sangma said at the state secretariat, "some people are dead but we are yet to ascertain the number. Curfew is imposed in Tura town".

Meanwhile, student leaders claimed that six members of their organisations were shot dead at the Chandmari ground at Tura.

When contacted at Tura, DIG of Meghalaya police, Vijay Kumar, said the Garo Students Union (GSU) was not given a permission for holding a rally over the MBOSE issue.

Despite that, people gathered at the Chandmari ground for the rally. When the police arrived on the spot, the crowd threw stones injuring some policemen, Kumar said.

The police and CRPF opened fire in retaliation, the DIG said.