Meghalaya especially Shillong city is currently under a wave of arson attacks.
Five petrol bomb attacks have taken place so far mostly against police stations and police vehicles.
Interestingly, none of the persons involved in these petrol bomb attacks have been identified or arrested.
The latest was the attack on two police stations in the city which occurred today.
According to police, miscreants lobbed petrol bombs at the heavily guarded Shillong Sadar police station and Rynjah police station during the early morning hours of today.
Fortunately, there was no damage to the police stations in the attacks.
Earlier, miscreants who came in a two-wheeler threw a petrol bomb at two vehicles parked inside the office of Meghalaya Government Construction Corporation (MGCC) at Kench’s Trace here.
The petrol bomb missed the cars by a few inches and immediate intervention by the alert night watchmen prevented the fire from spreading to the vehicles and the office.
On April 30, miscreants hurled petrol bombs at vehicles parked inside the compound of Jowai police station. A private Gypsy was totally gutted in the attack while a police bus suffered minor damage.
On April 26, a petrol bomb attack was launched by miscreants at the building owned by Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar at Nongmensong here. However, the petrol bomb failed to cause any damage to the building.
In another incident, on April 24, miscreants who were riding in a two wheeler hurled a petrol bomb at the police vehicle which was escorting the official car of the director of NEEPCO at Nongthymmai here. Alert police personnel were able to douse the fire in time thus preventing any damage to the vehicle.
On April 3, a police Gypsy which was parked inside the compound of Mawlai police station was totally burnt after miscreants threw a petrol bomb.
While nobody was identified for these attacks, police sources said that the attacks may be linked to the arrest of a number of KSU members in connection with the recent killings of three non-tribal labourers – two at Ichamati and one at Mawlai Mawroh.
All officials told to keep offices, vehicles safe
The Meghalaya government has directed all department heads to keep their offices and vehicles under safe custody after three fresh arson attempts were reported in Shillong since yesterday night, officials said.
“We have directed all heads of departments to keep the offices and vehicles under safe custody,” a senior government official told PTI.
He said district deputy commissioners were directed to keep close coordination with the police for the security of vital government installations.
East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner S C Sadhu under which the State capital is under, said he is coordinating with the district SP to ensure that vital installations are protected.
“We are devising a plan so that the government buildings are protected. We are discussing what action we need to initiate and in terms of identifying the culprits who are perpetrating these kinds of attacks and we will update again,” he said. (PTI)
