austraLasia 1269

Playing fields bloodbath in Garo Hills: 2 Don Bosco students killed

SHILLONG: 1st October 2005 --  The Garo Hills region erupted in violence yesterday when police opened fire on demonstrators protesting against planned educational reforms which have created divisions within the Khasi tribe.  According to a reliable source, two students from Don Bosco College in Tura, one of the two centres where police opened fire, were critically injured and later died.
    Reports coming from the region are still confused.  The Shillong Times indicates that four people were killed at Tura and at Williamnagar, another five.  The 'Times' reports that police opened fire indiscriminately on thousands of people who had gathered at two playing fields, the Chandmari playground and the Rongrenggiri school field at Williamnagar.  In the first instance the police had tried to arrest the general secretary of a local  group, the Federation for A'chik Freedom.  This led to clashes between police and a group of students.  In the second instance, police and students clashed over denial of permission to hold a march from the playing field.  It is not clear just how students attending the Don Bosco College came to be in the area, and whether they were simply onlookers, but the Shillong Times indicates that some of the victims were not part of the group who were protesting.
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