Picketing turns violent, shops set ablaze

***Firefighters dousing the fire in one of the shops that was set ablaze by miscreants on Tuesday morning at Iewduh. Pix by WT Lytan***

SHILLONG, SEPT 17: The office picketing on Tuesday turned violent as miscreants hurled petrol bombs and set ablaze two shops in Iewduh (Bara Bazaar) at around 10.30 am. The shops were partially gutted and fire fighters rushed to the spot to douse the flame from spreading to the nearby shops.

The owner of one of the shop Sunil Roy sustained burn injuries on his legs and he was immediately rushed to the Shillong Civil hospital. The other shop belongs to Dinesh Pal.

The incident took place when the shopkeepers in the usually busy Iewduh were just opening their shops near Splendid restaurant. Police said a group of 10-15 boys came and hurled the petrol boms into the two shops setting it on fire.

Fire fighters were informed about the arson. Fire tenders rushed to the spot and started dousing the fire. However the two shops were completely gutted.

East Khasi hills SP M Kharkhrang told reporters that he suspects that members of the ngos were involved in the arson case. Following the arson case security in the markets have been tightened and beefed up. He said a case of arson has been registered and the police are on the lookout for the culprits who set the shops on fire.

Kharkhrang was of the opinion that had the shops been set ablaze during the night then there would have been possibility of major damage as fire would have spread in more shops. He said materials worth Rs 10 lakhs were damaged in the fire.

As part of its continuing agitation demanding the implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) in the state, a conglomerate of ten ngos had called for office picket and night road blockade.

The third phase of the ngos agitation includes office picketing on September 17 and 19 with night road blockade in the evening. The timing for the night road blockade will start from 7 pm to 5 am on September 17 and from 9 pm to 5 am on September 19.

On September 20 the twenty-four hours “bandh” will start from 5 am on (just after the night road blockade is over) to 5am of September 21. –By Our Reporter