Mumbai, June 4: Filmmaker and actor Farhan Akhtar on Monday condemned the violence that has erupted in Shillong over a road skirmish a few days back and had refused to subside.

"Saddened to hear about violence in Shillong. Sincerely hope that whatever the issue is, it is resolved peacefully. Also hoping that my friends there and their families are safe and unhurt," Farhan, 44, tweeted. 

Violence had erupted in the Meghalaya capital on May 31, after an altercation between a driver of the Khasi community employed with the Shillong Public Transport Service and some Punjabi women in Theme lew Mawlong, a Punjabi settlement there with around 350 households. 

The violence has continued over the next few days even after the parties involved in the skirmish reached a compromise. 

Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju has denied rumours of an attack on any Gurdwara or any Sikh institution.

Curfew was imposed in the violence-hit city, which was later relaxed for seven hours on Sunday.

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Bengaluru: Four cheetahs, including two females, have arrived at Bannerghatta Biological Park (BBP) from South Africa, NDTV reported.

The animals, brought from Induna Primate and Parrot Park in South Africa, landed at Kempegowda International Airport at around 1:15 am on Saturday. The transfer was carried out in accordance with the Wild Life (Protection) Act, BBP said in a statement.

Forest, Ecology and Environment Minister Eshwar Khandre received the cheetahs at the airport cargo terminal.

The Minister asked officials and veterinary teams to ensure strict quarantine protocols, a prescribed diet, and close health monitoring for 30 days to help the animals acclimate smoothly.

Highlighting that cheetahs, locally known as “Sivangi,” have disappeared from Karnataka’s forests, the minister stressed the need to raise public awareness through zoological institutions. He also instructed Dr Sunil Panwar, Member Secretary, Zoo Authority of Karnataka (ZAK), to prioritise the safety and well-being of the animals.

The BBP officials said that before transportation, the cheetahs underwent thorough health inspections and quarantine in South Africa as per the guidelines of the Department of Animal Husbandry.

Required No Objection Certificates (NoC) were also obtained from Animal Quarantine Services prior to import.

"Upon arrival at BBP, the animals have been placed in a designated quarantine facility for post-import health checks and observation, after which they will be shifted to their enclosures for public viewing," the BBP said.

This import underscores BBP's commitment to international collaboration in wildlife conservation, scientific management of animals, and strict adherence to regulatory protocols. It further strengthens the park's role in ex-situ conservation and environmental education, official said.