Shillong, Aug. 11: The Meghalaya government will provide security to night buses passing through the city as the state braces for a “curfew” called by the Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council from 10pm to 5am tomorrow and Friday night.

The state being the transit point to reach Aizawl, Silchar and Agartala, the night curfew will affect movement of vehicles to these areas.

Chief secretary W.M.S. Pariat today said the government was committed to provide security to passengers of the night buses. It would deploy police personnel in the vulnerable areas to ensure that passengers reach their destinations safely.

The “night curfew” called by the HNLC in the run-up to Independence Day will be effective in East Khasi Hills, West Khasi Hills, Ri Bhoi and Jaintia Hills districts, adjacent to the state’s boundary with Assam, Tripura and Mizoram. From Saturday, the HNLC has called a 36-hour bandh that will virtually keep Meghalaya out of bounds.

No organisation, however, has called a bandh in the three districts of Garo hills.

Pariat said though the movement of trucks passing through Meghalaya would be minimal during the bandh, the government was committed to ensure that passengers travelling at night from one state to another were provided security. However, no additional forces will be deployed on the national highways as the existing police force along with the CRPF will be sufficient to deal with the situation, he added.

“We will see in what way we can co-ordinate with the neighbouring states to ensure free flow of traffic during the night curfew,” Pariat said.

The chief secretary said the state government was co-ordinating with the other northeastern states to maintain security in the entire region, especially during the Independence Day celebrations.

The superintendent of police, East Khasi Hills, A.R. Mawthoh, said the police would keep vigil on the highways and there would be night patrol round-the-clock to ensure vehicular movement. Mawthoh allayed fears of trouble, saying the police would be able to maintain law and order. “But we are very careful and cannot leave anything to chance,” he added.

Security meet: A high-level meeting was held at the deputy commissioner’s conference hall in Kokrajhar today to chalk out security preparations ahead of Independence Day given the threat perception over possible attempts by militants, particularly the anti-talks NDFB, to thwart the celebrations, says our Kokrajhar correspondent.

The meeting, chaired by Kokrajhar deputy commissioner Carol Narzary, was attended by top security officials from police, army, Sashastra Seema Bal, CRPF and the Railway Police Force.

“There are threats from insurgency groups like the anti-talks NDFB. Railway tracks, bridges, national highways are their targets,” Kokrajhar superintendent of police P.K. Dutta said, adding that precautionary measures had been taken. The Udalguri district administration has also beefed up security. “All possible steps have been taken to thwart any evil designs by the divisive elements,” a senior police official said.