SHILLONG, April 29 - Three trucks belonging to a particular contractor were torched by unidentified miscreants at the Food Corporation of India (FCI) godown here on Monday. However, no one was injured in the incident.
Of the three trucks, one was totally gutted while the other two were partially damaged after petrol bombs were hurled at them. �We are investigating the incident,� East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police Claudia said.
Unidentified men lobbed petrol bombs at the trucks parked inside the FCI godown waiting to unload their stock of foodgrain.
The incident took place a few days after truck drivers of the same contractor assaulted a Home Guard, leading to his death in Ri-Bhoi district. After the death, NGOs here demanded suspension of trucks belonging to the contractor till the perpetrators of the crime are punished.
Police said they had some information about a security threat and had enhanced security at the FCI where some trucks of the same contractor were parked.
�We asked all the trucks to be parked inside the FCI premises and increased security. But since there are many access points to the godown, some through the jungle, the incident happened,� the SP said.
Moreover, trucks from the contractor were unable to unload their stock since Friday. �We had instructed the FCI officials to quickly unload the trucks of the particular contractor, but the FCI officials were unable to do so quickly,� the SP said.
The FCI authorities said they were offline for registering the stock � due to power shortage � and so the trucks could not be offloaded. Due to the power shortage, the FCI did not have CCTVs working, and possibly no recording of the crime was available, SP Claudia said.
�The FCI doesn�t even have a power back-up facility,� she said, adding that police has beefed up security at the facility at the moment.
Meanwhile, various NGOs held a meeting on Monday to take a decision regarding their action against the assault and death of the Home Guard.
