Thaindian News

Shillong, Feb 26 (IANS) Tension prevailed in Meghalaya’s Ri-Bhoi district Sunday following petrol bomb attacks that damaged property owned by several individuals.

A total of 112 people were displaced after unidentified miscreants hurled the bombs, damaging 15 shops-cum-residences and five motorcycles at Rajabagan in the district bordering Assam, officials said.

“There is still tension but the situation is under control and necessary steps have been taken to restore normalcy,” said Akash Deep, the deputy commissioner of Ri-Bhoi.

He said the internally displaced people have been temporarily accommodated in a school and a community hall at Rajabagan.

Police are yet to arrest the perpetrators of Saturday’s incident but they kept a strict vigil in the area.

“We have not made any arrest but we have rounded up 50 people and are interrogating them to verify their involvement in the incident,” district police chief M.K. Dkhar said.

Saturday’s incident came days after villagers from Rajabagan, about 80 km north of Shillong, attacked members of a prominent social organisation — Hynniewtrep National Youth Front.

However, the police say that till a proper investigation was done, the two incidents could not be said to be inter-related.