SHILLONG, Jan 20: Several people were injured when a gang of eight unidentified miscreants assaulted them at Lumdiengjri area here at around 4-4:30 pm on Thursday.
Three of the injured were brought to the Civil Hospital, Shillong. The family of one of them, Chandan Paul (55), who is a resident of Lower Mawprem, claimed he was stabbed.
The two other injured, Nurjul Mullah (30) and Abdul S Chaudhary (38), who are residents of Garikhana, suffered injuries on the face and the back. Two of the injured are shopkeepers.
Nurjul was standing outside the SBI ATM opposite Lumdiengjri Police Station when he came under the attack all of a sudden.
Chandan’s sister Ruma said she was informed her brother had been stabbed outside his shop. She said when she had rushed to the spot, she found some police personnel. They brought him to the hospital, she said. The miscreants were wearing masks, the victims claimed.
Demanding action against the assailants, Ruma said it is high time that such attacks against the minorities, who are permanent residents of the state, are stopped.
The police did not issue any statement. Calls made to the Superintendent of Police went unattended.
West Shillong MLA, Mohendro Rapsang, condemned the attack and asked Home Minister Lahkmen Rymbui to ensure the arrest of the culprits.
“I strongly condemn the incident. These people attacked two of the non-tribals in front of the police station in my constituency. I cannot imagine what the police were doing,” a livid Rapsang said. “I request the Home Minister to look into the matter and nab the culprits immediately so that such incidents do not recur. If they go scot-free, they will create the same problem in other parts of the city,” the MLA added.