Six persons have died and two were seriously injured and two others were seriously injured following violent clashes between villagers and Assam police on Tuesday morning at Mukroh village in Meghalaya\u2019s<\/a> West Jaintia Hills district, a police official said. Of the six deaths, five were Pnar villagers from Mukroh village and one was a forest guard from Assam and the rest were villagers from Mukroh.<\/p>\n \u201cThree civilians and the Assam forest guard died on the spot, while two more persons succumbed to their injuries on the way to Barato Primary Health Centre in the area,\u201d Chief Minister Conrad Sangma told reporters after holding an emergency meeting with members from the civil society.<\/p>\n He said the other two seriously injured have been shifted to Barato and other health centres in the area Mukroh is a village adjoining Assam\u2019s West Karbi Anglong district. “We strongly condemn the incident as the Assam police and forest guards entered into Meghalaya territory and open unprovoked firing leading to the unfortunate deaths and injuries,” Chief Minister Sangma said.<\/p>\n Sangma announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs. 5 lakh to the next of kin of those killed. “The cabinet would hold an emergency meeting later this evening to take further decisions on the unfortunate incident,” he informed. According to an Assam police official, the incident occurred at around 2:30 – 3:00 am when Assam forest guards directed a driver of a vehicle, which was loaded with timber, to stop. “However, the driver of the vehicle didn\u2019t pay heed forcing the Assam forest guards to open fire and punctured the vehicle\u2019s tyre. The driver of the vehicle and two others were apprehended by forest officials and handed over to Assam police,” the official said.<\/p>\n Later, the Assam police personnel and forest officials went to seize the loaded truck and that\u2019s when the trouble started. “At around 7:00 – 7:30 am, a huge crowd had gathered around the vehicle and stopped the Assam forest and police officials from taking away the truck,\u201d the police official said. “The mob turned violent and attacked the officials with machetes and sticks.<\/p>\n The Assam police then resorted to firing,” the police official said. Meanwhile, the State government has suspended mobile internet service in seven districts in the eastern part of the state after the video from the incident went viral. Mobile Internet services and data services of all mobile service providers have been suspended for the next 48 hours with effect from 10.30 am on November 22 as a precautionary measure to stop spread of rumours over the internet and to prevent any breakdown of law and order,\u201d State Home Secretary, Cyril V.D.Diengdoh said.<\/p>\n The state government has also deployed a large number of security forces in the state capital and other sensitive areas. “We are closely monitoring the law and order situation and made adequate deployment of forces on the ground,” the Chief Minister said. Earlier, Horne Minister Lahkmen Rymbui flew to Mukroh Village in Meghalaya<\/a> to take stock of the situation.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n