Beer bottles favoured as firebombs here
There aren’t too many stones to throw in Meghalaya where megaliths – huge rocks – are intrinsic to tribal culture.
So, unlike their counterparts in Kashmir, protesters in the north-eastern hill state have turned the ubiquitous beer bottle into a blazing, disruptive weapon.
Since May 28, members of a students’ organisation have allegedly been terrorising the Khasi Hills districts of Meghalaya, including capital Shillong, with Molotov cocktails — firebombs — made from beer bottles.
Officials say the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) opposition to a railway project at Byrnihat in the state’s Ri-Bhoi district has triggered the violence. The KSU believes the railways will bring unwanted immigrants.
Firebombs have damaged several shops, houses of non-tribals, vehicles and a Youth Congress office. The loss is estimated to be worth at least ₹12 crore.
On Thursday, Shillong witnessed at least five attacks that damaged a police-requisitioned bus and a non-tribal’s vehicle.
The police have raided several houses in search of KSU leaders. Powell Sohkhlet, a journalist, said his house too was raided on Thursday. “What is happening, Mr chief minister... This is not Kashmir...” he wrote.
“Only houses of wanted KSU members were raided. We are not aware if he (Sohkhlet) is living with KSU members,” city superintendent of police Vivek Syiem told HT from Shillong.
Ri-Bhoi deputy commissioner CP Gotmare said the locals have no issues. “The people of Ronghona, where the railhead is coming up, have welcomed the project and are angry with the KSU for making it a violent issue,” he said.
The villagers also complained that KSU members damaged their property, he added.
The KSU too seems to be divided. The Ri-Bhoi district unit members of the organisation have accused their counterparts from outside the district of starting the firebombing.
“They (local unit of KSU) have given a written statement to the authorities that they will henceforth route all railway-related matters through the district administration and will maintain peace,” Gotmare said.
But the warring section of KSU has said it will continue to oppose the project.
“We are concerned that the government is favouring earliest completion of the railway project without a thought to setting up entry and exit points to tackle illegal immigrants,” Lambok Rymbai, a union leader, said.