NONGPOH: A fresh case of petrol bomb hurling was reported from a village in Ri Bhoi on Thursday.
Police said miscreants tried to attack the office of the Nongpoh Assembly Youth Congress at Pahamsohthri village around 2 am on Thursday but damages could be averted as it was raining.
Petrol bomb attacks started after last Saturday’s violent protests by KSU against the railway project.
The two KSU leaders who were arrested after the vandalism at the project site at Ronghuna in Ri Bhoi will have to stay in police custody for three more days.
The president of KSU North Khasi Hills unit, Ferdynald Kharkamni, and the assistant secretary of the KSU central body, Sonstar Nongkhlaw, were arrested last Saturday and sent to five-day police custody.
The duo was produced in a local court on Thursday where their stay in prison was extended. Before this, they were taken for medical check-up owing to their weakness.
The investigating officer had asked for five-day custody but the defense lawyer prayed for three days on the grounds of ill health. Members of the KSU leaders’ families, who were present in the court, also expressed concern.
The KSU leaders were booked under several sections of the Meghalaya Maintenance of Public Order Act and the Indian Penal Code after three FIRs were lodged against them.
Cong emergency meet
Congress leaders in the district condemned the violence and termed it ‘barbaric’. The party held an emergency meeting here on Thursday.
Kyrshan Pamshong, president of Shillong Lok Sabha Youth Congress, Mayralborn Syiem, president of Nongpoh Block Congress Committee and Rajesh Lapang, president Ri Bhoi District Youth Congress attended the meeting.
The Congress members called for strong action against the perpetrators.
KSU appeal
The Khasi Students’ Union, North Khasi Hills, on Thursday appealed to the public of Ri Bhoi district not to cooperate in the Ri Bhoi silver jubilee celebrations to be held next week.
In a press communiqué, general secretary of KSU-North Khasi Hills district, Lambok Rymbai, said, “The Union is concerned about the apathy of the State Government to speed up entry and exit points to tackle illegal immigrants, but instead of considering our demand, the government is favouring earliest completion of the railway project.”
