Shillong, Aug 3 : The Meghalaya government today asked its officials to keep their vehicles in “safe custody” after unidentified criminals threw a petrol bomb into a vehicle belonging to the PWD in Shillong last night.
The incident happened barely 48 hours before the beginning of a road blockade and night curfew called by NGOs demanding the removal of DGP Anil Pradhan.
Pradhan said the police were investigating whether the arsonists were members of the NGOs that are protesting under the banner of the Steering Committee against Murder of Democracy.
While the NGOs have denied any role, police investigations are on.
The committee announced road blockades and night curfews starting tomorrow, demanding Pradhan’s removal for his role in releasing Congress politician Thomas Nongtdu, an accused in the Shillong jailbreak.
The NGOs had announced a night road blockade from 7pm tomorrow to 5am the next day and again on Tuesday from 7pm to 5am the next day. A night “public curfew” was imposed on Thursday from 7pm to 5am the next day and again from Friday 7pm to 5am the next day.
Pradhan told The Telegraph that security arrangements had been made to ensure the smooth flow of traffic on the national highways during the road blockade and the “public curfew”.
“An alert was issued to all the government departments and officials to take proper care of the vehicles allotted to them. If they cannot, they can deposit the vehicles in the government garage,” he added.
Meghalaya police have intensified vigil and provided reinforcements in the vulnerable areas of the city.
The DGP said the police would provide escorts to the vehicles plying on the national highways.
The police are hunting for the prominent leaders of the NGOs, especially the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU), Federation of Khasi Jaintia Garo People (FKJGP) and Civil Society Women’s Organisation (CSWO), many of whom have gone into hiding.
Chief minister D.D. Lapang, who also holds the home portfolio, yesterday appealed to the NGOs to call off the agitation and come for talks.
He said the government would explore all options to address their demands.
Langpih tension
Tension was also brewing in the disputed Langpih area on the Assam-Meghalaya border, with Khasi and Garo residents threatening to torch the houses of Nepali residents.
Lapang has sought the intervention of Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi to find a solution to the border dispute between the two states and his co-operation to maintain law order in the area.