Fear, anxiety prevails in Shillong

SHILLONG: With yet another trader set on fire on Saturday, a sense of fear and anxiety is palpable among the denizens of the hill city, particularly among the minority non-tribal residents, who have been targets of systematic and vicious attacks over the past couple of months in the wake of the agitation by several groups demanding implementation of inner line permit (ILP) system.

Bisheshwar Das (50), owner of a tea stall, was set ablaze by a gang of three youths on Saturday morning after they poured petrol on him inside the stall at Bishnupur Bazaar at 11 am.

The victim, who was admitted to a private hospital in the city in a critical condition, was rushed to neighbouring Guwahati for intensive treatment on Sunday.

The latest crime was committed a little over a month after Vikash Nandwal, a young trader, was set ablze inside his shop at Motphran Point in the city last month.

On the other hand, cases of arson continued in the city with at least two petrol bombs hurled at roadside residences in the Suleiman Compound of Lumdiengjri locality early on Sunday.

Another shop was partially gutted at Garikhana Point after petrol bombs were hurled at it at around 8am on Sunday.