As police tightened security to prevent any untoward incident in the city, hundreds of people under the banner of Surveillance of Committee against Military Terrorisation (SCAMT) took out a procession demanding removal of 119th Battalion of the Territorial Army (TA) camp from Lawsohtun and punishment to its jawan who had allegedly molested a minor girl. School children also joined the procession.

Irate citizens formed the SCAMT — a conglomeration of Mothers’ Union, Khasi Students Union and other youth organisations — after TA jawan Golap Bora allegedly molested a six-year-old girl in Bishnupur on Sunday. The residents of Bishupur retaliated by beating up the jawan. Some TA jawans came to Bora's rescue and allegedly terrorised people in Bishupur market. The residents of the area and some NGOs protested against the TA jawans’ highhandedness and the molestation of the minor girl. To put pressure on the TA and the district administration, shops and business establishment in Bishupur and Lawsohtun remained closed on Monday.

Despite the assurance by the TA authority of punishing the jawan and his colleagues, agitating citizens refused to be convinced. Describing the incident as “sad”, GOC 101 Area Major General K S Sethi had said a Court of Inquiry has been constituted to find the truth. Sethi assured: “We will seek his custody for further investigation and if found guilty, strict punishment will be given.”