Shillong, Sep 17: Shillong was rocked by four petrol bomb attacks in less than 24 hours, targeting police outposts and government offices, even as the city has seen a sharp rise in such incidents in recent weeks.
The latest attack took place in the early hours of Wednesday when a police booth at Nongmensong Bazar at the junction leading to Umling BSF was set on fire around 3.55 am using a vehicle tyre. The booth was completely gutted. A woman passerby alerted the Nongmynsong Outpost and Fire and Emergency Services later doused the flames.
Just minutes before that, at around 3.30 am, unidentified miscreants hurled a petrol bomb at the Directorate of Health Services campus at Laitumkhrah. A Bolero vehicle bearing registration number ML01 7702 parked inside caught fire while security personnel were on night duty.
On Wednesday night, around 9.30 pm, Lumdiengjri Police Station was attacked when a petrol bomb was hurled at the rear side of the Officer-in-Charge’s room, damaging window glass. No injuries were reported but DGP Idashisha Nongrang confirmed the incident and said an investigation is underway.
Earlier on Wednesday afternoon, around 3.15 pm, three persons hurled two petrol bombs at the Directorate of Mineral Resources office at Risa Colony while employees were on duty. One bomb hit the boundary wall while the second hit a Maruti Alto vehicle belonging to a woman employee and set it ablaze. Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma along with the Chief Secretary visited the spot and assured compensation for the damage.
The three attacks follow a similar attack on Laban Police Station on September 12 when two bike-borne youths hurled two petrol bombs at 2.30 am, partially burning a police jeep. CCTV footage showed police personnel running for safety. With this, it is the third attack on a police establishment in four weeks, with several government offices and private vehicles also targeted.
The modus operandi in most cases remains the same – masked youths on two-wheelers without number plates striking at night or in broad daylight and fleeing within seconds. The trend was visible even during the KSU rally on August 19, when miscreants were seen riding bikes with faces covered and without number plates.
Deputy Chief Minister in-charge Home Prestone Tynsong on today warned that such criminal acts will not be tolerated and said he has directed the DGP to act more proactively. He said security is being tightened with installation of additional CCTV cameras in all government offices and vulnerable areas, along with intensified patrolling across the city. Police have also been asked to monitor petrol pumps and institutions from where petrol is being sourced.
Tynsong said the state police are capable of handling the situation and no additional forces are required as of now, while asserting that perpetrators will be pursued and brought to justice. Police said they are examining CCTV footage from all spots and two FIRs have been registered in the DMR case, though no arrests have been made so far and the motive is yet to be ascertained.
