Attack on Conrad Sangma's office a well-planned conspiracy: Meghalaya police

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

Meghalaya police stated that Monday's mob attack on the office of Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma was a conspiracy planned well in advance to attack the Chief Minister. Meghalaya DGP Meghalaya DGP Dr LR Bishnoi informed the press on Tuesday that the incident in Tura was a pre-planned conspiracy to attack Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma. TMC leader Richard Marak has been arrested by Tura Police in connection with the violence in Tura on Monday night.

Vested interest groups gheraoed and pelted stones at CM’s Secretariat on Monday evening when the Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma was having a meeting with NGOs and pressure groups that were on indefinite hunger strike. Since the violence started, police have arrested 18 people based on video footage and eye witness accounts for inciting the unruly mob.

With Richard’s arrest, the tally has gone up to 19. Bishnoi said the mob intended to hurt the Chief Minister at his office in Tura while he was talking to some civil society groups over their demand for making Tura the winter capital. Sangma said that the mob came from outside, as the Chief Minister and the civil society leaders were peacefully discussing the winter capital matter.

Police said that money and liquor had been distributed on July 23 near the Chief Minister's office, where the meeting was taking place, to create trouble and spark violence. «The mob attacked the CMO (chief minister's office) in Tura when the Chief Minister was having a meeting with 18 representatives from NGOs,» the police chief said. The chief minister was discussing making Tura the winter capital of Meghalaya, and the other was on the implementation of the reservation policy or roster system.