SHILLONG: Masked goons assaulted two geologists and torched their vehicle in West Khasi Hills on Friday.
The geologists were carrying out mapping work for bauxite in the area.
An official source said that the incident happened at around 3.30 pm on Friday when senior geologists, Geological Survey of India, Sushanta Layek and Suhrit Pramanik, were carrying out survey on the top of Mawiawtep hill, near Rambrai village,
25 km from Nongstoin, West Khasi Hills, along with a surveyor.
As the area is not approachable by road, the vehicle was kept at the village and the geologists and surveyor walked one kilometer to reach the hill top.
Suddenly, a group of miscreants turned up, assaulted the driver and burnt the vehicle.
The miscreants then reached the top of the hill where the surveyor and the two geologists were carrying out the survey.
The source said first the goons snatched away their mobiles and assaulted the two geologists with iron rods and wooden sticks. The survey instruments were also destroyed by the miscreants.
The surveyor with the support of the local villagers brought the duo to the village around 5.30 pm.
There was no ambulance nearby and the police reached the village at 6.30 pm.
Instead of being provided medical treatment, they were first taken to Nongstoin police station, sources said.
Later, around 11.45 pm, they were rushed to a nearby government hospital.
While Suhrit suffered severe injury on one of the legs Sushanta sustained injuries on his head and arms.
Officials of GSI escorted them to a city hospital on Saturday morning.
Suhrit is undergoing treatment in the hospital while Sushanta was advised by the doctors to take rest at home after initial treatment.
An official said the geologists were camping in the area for bauxite survey and had nothing to do with uranium.
