Meghalaya unrest leaves 12,000 tourists stranded, bookings cancelled

Violence during a Khasi Students’ Union rally in Shillong has disrupted Meghalaya’s tourism sector, with around 12,000 tourists reportedly affected and nearly 2,000 stranded in hotels and homestays. Tourist vehicles were damaged, bookings were cancelled and security was tightened as authorities moved to protect visitors amid continuing tension.

Shillong: Thousands of tourists visiting Meghalaya were caught up in a tense situation after violence broke out in Shillong during a black-flag motorcycle rally organised by the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU).

The unrest reportedly left around 12,000 tourists affected, while nearly 2,000 visitors remained confined to hotels and homestays on Thursday as authorities stepped up security. Tourist vehicles, particularly those bearing Assam registration numbers, were targeted during the violence.

Vehicles damaged, tourists attacked

According to a Dainik Bhaskar report, protesters and other miscreants vandalised vehicles and threw stones at tourist cars arriving from Assam. Some visitors were also allegedly assaulted during the clashes.

A family visiting Shillong reportedly suffered damage to its vehicle after stones were thrown at it. A child was injured in the incident, according to the account cited in the report.

Police have been escorting tourists who want to leave Shillong towards the Assam border, amid concerns over their safety.

A manager at Shillong’s Polo Towers hotel said the atmosphere outside remained tense and additional security had been deployed. “We are providing them food and drinks in their rooms,” the manager said, adding that tourists were avoiding stepping outside.

Bookings cancelled amid uncertainty

The unrest has also begun affecting the state’s tourism-dependent businesses. Meghalaya is currently witnessing its peak monsoon tourism season, with more than 3,000 visitors reportedly arriving in the state each day.

Around 30 per cent of Meghalaya’s population is estimated to depend on tourism-related activities. Visitors commonly hire taxis, with fares going up to around Rs 6,000 for journeys through the state.

A guest house manager in Sohra said several bookings for the next three days had been cancelled. Tour operators said tourists from Gujarat and West Bengal were among those cancelling plans.

The disruption has also severely affected the taxi and bus network, which depends heavily on tourists travelling from Guwahati to Shillong.

Why KSU held rally

The KSU had submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on August 4, seeking stronger measures on issues including the Meghalaya Residents Safety Act, stricter Inner Line Permit regulations and changes to government recruitment procedures.

The organisation had given the government an ultimatum, which expired on Wednesday. It subsequently organised the black-flag rally.