SHILLONG: Three unidentified miscreants on Saturday set ablaze the owner of a tea stall at Bishnupur in the city in broad daylight after pouring petrol on him.
Bisheshwar Das (45), owner of Babua Tea Stall in Bishnupur, sustained 50 per cent burn injuries after he was attacked by three boys who came to the tea stall and attacked him at around 11 am on Saturday.The victim is currently undergoing treatment at Woodland Hospital.
One Mina Ram Joshi (70) sustained burn injuries on his hand while attempting to help the victim, while a 17-year-old girl identified as Mitilda Mallai Syiem, also sustained minor burn injuries.
The fresh arson case which occurred three weeks after the death of city trader Vikash Nandwal, who was also set ablaze inside his shop at Motphran, has shocked the people of Shillong.
East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police M Kharkrang said that three miscreants entered Babua Tea Stall and poured petrol on the owner of the shop.
According to police, the miscreants entered the stall and ordered some sweets from the shopkeeper and while he was bending down to take the sweets, one of them poured petrol from a bottle and another one lit the match.
70-year-old Mina Ram Joshi, who was nearby, removed his sweater and covered the body of Das to save him.
Das was immediately rushed to Woodland Hospital for treatment. Senior police officials rushed to the spot for investigation.
Police said efforts are on to identify and arrest the miscreants involved in the crime.
However, the SP rued the fact that people of the area have not been cooperating with the police in identifying the culprits. Most of the people said that they were not present at the spot when the incident occurred, the police official informed.