Guwahati: Assam transporters blocked Jorabat on Thursday, disrupting Guwahati-Shillong traffic after attacks on Assam-registered vehicles.Members of the Assam State Drivers’ Association (ASDA) and operators of Guwahati-based vehicles stopped Meghalaya-registered vehicles from entering or leaving Assam along the interstate highway, ASDA president Dhrubajyoti Debnath said. Ambulances and vehicles carrying patients were allowed through, while Meghalaya Police vehicles were reportedly turned back.The blockade followed incidents of violence during Wednesday’s black-flag motorcycle rally by the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU), during which masked participants allegedly attacked people and vehicles. The union later apologised and suspended the next phase of its agitation.ASDA demanded compensation from Meghalaya govt for owners and operators of damaged vehicles and urged action against repeated attacks on outsiders and vehicles from other states.“We want to send a clear message regarding the incident in Meghalaya—it is not merely an attack on drivers; it is an attack on Assamese people and on the Assamese community. Therefore, we must take up this issue collectively. We must stand together in the interest of our future, our people and our rights,” Debnath said.The blockade caused a traffic jam stretching over 10 km. Several tourists reportedly turned back, while hotels and homestays witnessed cancellations. Calls for a temporary boycott of Meghalaya tourism also emerged in Assam.
