Commercial activity across major areas of Shillong came to a standstill on Monday as businesses, traders, and citizens voluntarily observed a shutdown called by the Shillong Citizen Forum (SCF) to mourn the victims of the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir.
The attack, which took place just days ago in the popular tourist destination of Pahalgam, left 26 people dead and has reignited national outrage over terrorism-related violence.
The tragedy triggered solidarity movements across India, including in Meghalaya’s capital city.
In Shillong, prominent commercial hubs from Khyndailad (Police Bazaar) to Ïewduh (Bara Bazaar) wore a deserted look, with shutters down and streets unusually quiet.
The Barabazar Merchants and Shopkeepers Association had earlier issued an appeal urging traders to participate in the shutdown as a show of unity and grief.
Residents described the shutdown as a peaceful expression of collective sorrow and a firm stand against violence.
On Sunday evening, ahead of the shutdown, the SCF organised a candlelight vigil in front of the old Assembly building at Khyndailad. The vigil, held between 5 pm and 7 pm, witnessed a cross-section of Shillong’s citizenry gathering to pay tributes to the lives lost in Kashmir.
Meanwhile, in a significant security development following the Pahalgam incident, the Meghalaya government has directed all Pakistani nationals residing in the state to leave by April 30, 2025.