SHILLONG: Arsonists set ablaze around 30 trucks of haystack piled up at Gaushala, Mawlai here on Tuesday morning ahead of the three-night road blockade called by pro-ILP groups from December 4.
According to police, the Shree Shillong Gaushala located at Mawlai Umthlong near Banalari was targeted by four pro-ILP activists at around 10 am. While no one was injured in the incident the damage due to the fire has been estimated at Rs 2.40 lakh.
As per the FIR filed by the general secretary of Shree Shillong Gaushala, Mahabir Prasad Singhania, some of the staff saw four boys entering the Gaushala premises from behind before setting the haystack kept for feeding on fire.
“The workers ran behind but couldn’t catch them. The fire was doused by the Fire Brigade which arrived after half an hour,” Singhania said.
Meanwhile, security has been beefed up in view of night road blockade starting from Wednesday.
Garo pressure groups to enforce blockade : Meanwhile, five Garo organizations that is part of ) the Pro-ILP stir in the state have informed that they would also be enforcing the night blockade in the five districts of Garo Hills beginning Wednesday, our Tura correspondent adds.
The organizations led by the Garo Students’Union have said that the three nights of blockade from December 4th to 6th which is being called in Shillong and the rest of the eastern region would also be enforced in Garo Hills districts.
“We will be implementing the stir and are requesting the people of Garo Hills to support the agitation for ILP by adhering to the night blockade,” said GSU President Tengsak G Momin to The Shillong Times.
The GSU president informed that emergency services would not fall under the purview of the night blockade.
“Emergency services such as 108 ambulance service and opening of pharmacies and clinics would not be disturbed during the blockade,” informed the GSU president.