SHILLONG: Five personnel of the Meghalaya Police SF-10 were injured after unidentified miscreants pelted stones and hurled petrol bombs at their patrolling vehicle, a Gypsy bearing registration number ML-02-0198, at Mawlyndep in Ri Bhoi District on Tuesday midnight.
According to the press statement from the Superintendent of Police, East Khasi Hills, the Farmers Association of Lawmei and groups opposing Assam vehicles coming to the Lawmei Vegetable Collection Centre, had a meeting with the Block Development Officer (BDO) of Sohiong community and rural development block accompanied by the officer-in charge of Lumdiengjri Police Station.
Accordingly, the BDO said the collection centre must function and requested the police for security.
In view of this, one Armed Branch SI SF-10, three SF- 10 personnel and a driver were sent for patrolling to Lawmei.
On their return from Lawmei along with the vegetable trucks from Assam, stones were pelted and petrol bombs hurled at the police vehicle in Mawlyndep, following which the S-10 personnel sustained burn injuries.
The injured personnel were rushed to Civil Hospital, Shillong for treatment. The condition of two police personnel, who are admitted, is stable, while the other three have been discharged after first aid.
Umiam police rushed to the site and subsequently special operations teams (SOT) were thereafter dispatched to comb the area.
Broken bottles, one unused petrol bomb and a small quantity of petrol in a plastic bottle were recovered and seized.
Speaking to The Shillong Times on Wednesday evening, East Khasi Hills SP Sylvester Nongtnger said that more than 10 pick vans from Assam were escorted from the district when the incident happened.
“This has been the procedure and we will ensure maximum security for the pick-up vans that come from Assam to the market at Lawmei and return to the neighbouring state with vegetables,” Nongtnger said.
Meanwhile, an FlR has been lodged by officer-in-charge of Lumdiengjri police station and a case filed under sections 120B/353/326/307/427 IPC (R/W Section 8 MMPO) and Section 3 PDPP Act (R/W Section 3), Explosive Substances Act, to ascertain the perpetrators of the crime and take legal action.