Miscreants set trader on fire in city
SHILLONG: Arson and violence amounting to attempted murder continue unabated even while those calling the ILP related agitation remain indifferent to such cases recurring almost on a daily basis. In an ugly turn of events unidentified miscreants on Wednesday afternoon set ablaze one trader inside his shop at Motphran.
According to sources, some unknown miscreants entered the shop ‘Meghalaya Machineries,’ poured petrol on the owner of the shop and set him on fire. The victim has been identified as Vikash Nandwal.
This is the third instance when miscreants have poured petrol on individuals in the city to set them ablaze. Earlier, attempts were made to burn down two labourers.
The crime was committed in broad daylight at the Motphran junction which was bustling with activity.
Soon after the incident, the victim was immediately rushed to Nazareth Hospital from where he has been shifted to Guwahati.
The victim has sustained fifty percent burn injuries above the abdomen area.
As soon as the incident occurred, senior police officials rushed to the spot to assess the situation.
Following the incident, security was beefed up in different localities of the city and even in Puja pandals.Incidentally, half an hour after the incident at Motphran, four unidentified miscreants entered the North Eastern Hills University (NEHU) campus near the Warden’s hostel at around 12:50 pm and lobbed a petrol bomb at a drilling machine truck (RJ-03 EA 2141) as a result of which the front portion of the truck was damaged.
The miscreants also poured petrol on one labourer Shanbor Hashah, but the miscreants were unsuccessful in lighting up the fire and he managed to escape.
Meanwhile NEHU faculty have raised questions about the seriousness of the private security guards posted at the campus. “If such miscreants can enter the campus unchecked then what is the point of the University spending so much money in engaging these security guards?” they asked. They said this is not the first time that security in the University has been breached.
Earlier some faculty members were manhandled for conducting an examination on Tirot Sing day.
Warjri pats police:Meanwhile, Home Minister Roshan Warjri has asserted that the State Government has formulated several strategies to deal with the current situation prevailing in the state and the capital city.
Speaking to The Shillong Times, Warjri condemned the acts of violence which is being committed in the city and the state even as she said that Government cannot spell out the strategies
Expressing her happiness over the performance of the police in dealing with the situation, the minister made it abundantly clear that the perpetrators of violence would be dealt as per the law of the land.
“I think the situation is under control,” she said while adding that the Government is leaving no stone unturned to ensure peace and tranquillity in the state.
Reacting to a query about the additional forces, she said that the state Government is expecting additional forces from the Centre at the earliest.