SHILLONG, April 29: Police and CRPF personnel were withdrawn from the North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU) campus in Shillong late Monday night after a tense standoff with students and a formal request from the university’s Acting Vice-Chancellor.

The standoff began around 6 PM when the NEHU Students’ Union (NEHUSU) locked the university gates, demanding the immediate withdrawal of security forces from the campus. For three hours, from 6 PM to 9 PM, no vehicles were allowed to enter or leave, causing long queues on exit roads.

Hundreds of students gathered at Gate No. 2 and engaged in arguments with police personnel and magistrates. Students questioned the deployment of nearly 150 police personnel inside the university and insisted they leave immediately.

The situation escalated when students, frustrated by the police presence, declared an indefinite suspension of classes starting Tuesday. They also said they would continue protesting outside the gates as long as the forces remained inside the campus.

The tension followed the arrest of NEHUSU president Sandy Sohtun on Monday morning. He was taken into custody for allegedly assaulting Dr. Alok Singh, an Assistant Professor in the Hindi Department, inside his office chamber last week during working hours.

Later in the evening, Acting Vice-Chancellor Prof. SM Sungoh wrote to the Director General of Police (DGP), expressing concern over students feeling intimidated and experiencing fear due to the security presence. She also mentioned that the police had entered the university without her knowledge.

Following the appeal, police personnel were withdrawn from the campus around 10:30 PM. Sources say the forces are now stationed at the Mawkynroh police outpost.