GUWAHATI: An Indian Police Service officer was injured after being hit by a fleeing scooty in Meghalaya capital Shillong on Friday.
The incident occurred at around 1:30 am in the hill station’s Urkaliar area during vehicle checking.
Lovish Garg, the injured Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP), Traffic, in East Khasi Hills district, is admitted at a hospital.
Superintendent of Police (City) Dangsan Khyriem said two men on a scooty attempted to evade the checking and continued riding aggressively despite being directed to stop.
“To prevent their escape, the ASP intervened and signalled the rider to stop. However, instead of stopping, the scooty accelerated and hit the officer, causing him serious injuries,” Khyriem said.
Garg was rushed to a local hospital for emergency medical treatment and later, shifted to a specialised ward. He was under observation following a minor surgery. Both accused have been arrested and are now in the police custody.
The SP said the circumstances indicated that the act was deliberate, appeared to have been intended to cause grievous injury to the officer and evade the checking.
The police suspected the accused to be members of the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU).
“The motive behind their movement at that hour of the night and attempt to escape the checking is being ascertained through a thorough investigation. A case of attempted murder has been registered,” the SP said.
The police said checking operations would continue in the interest of public safety and the maintenance of law and order.
“All persons are expected to comply with lawful directions issued by the police during such operations. Any attempt to evade police checking or to act in contravention of directions issued by police personnel on duty will be dealt with firmly in accordance with law,” the SP warned.
The checking of vehicles in Shillong intensified after a series of incidents of petrol bomb attacks carried out by the miscreants, targeting police stations and government establishments and property, in recent weeks.
The attacks followed the August 19 violence in Shillong during a “black flag bike rally” taken out by the KSU in support of its various demands. Several vehicles, mostly registered in neighbouring Assam, and individuals were attacked during the rally. Later, the police arrested six leaders of the KSU.
