SHILLONG, Feb 2 � Stranded for over three days at the Umsning Weigh Bridge on National Highway 40, over 100 truckers on Sunday ransacked and set ablaze the Sales Taxes office and the weigh bridge after attacking the staffs.
According to information the tuckers were stranded at the weigh bridge for over three days as the staffs were unable to give them the necessary clearance for proceeding further with the coal they were carrying. Earlier on Saturday, the truckers met the authorities and requested them to speed up their work.
Without any clear assurances, sources said the truckers got restless and attacked the staffs � enforcement checker H Kharkongor and Weight Bridge staff Baral Thangkhiew � and later ransacked and set the Sales Taxes office and the weigh bridge ablaze.
The Deputy Commissioner and the Superintendent of Police of Ri-Bhoi CVS Reddy rushed to the spot, but by could do little and the truckers fled from the scene. Reddy said over the phone for the district headquarters, Nongpoh that the police are �processing the CCTV footage from the scene and the matter is being investigated.� The government also rushed in Transport Commissioner IW Ingty to the spot for assessing the damages.
Eye witnesses have said that the truckers got �restless� with the slow pace of the work at the weigh bridge as they were waiting for the past three days for clearance. Some of the truckers were going with little food and money, sources said.
The truckers than armed with rod, petrol bombs attacked the Government office and weigh bridge. The police in the scene fled when the truckers attacked as they were greatly outnumbered.
Meanwhile, several passengers on the highway have pointed out the serpentine trucks held up at the Umsning weigh bridge. They said it is not normal for such a large number of trucks being held up at the weigh bridge on a daily basis.
