Truckers attack weigh bridge, ST & Transport office

PTI SHILLONG, FEBRuARY 2 Two persons were hurt when over 100 coal transporters attacked a weigh bridge on National Highway 40 in Meghalaya’s Ri-Bhoi district, damaging a Sales Tax and Transport office, police said today. Armed with iron rods, petrol bombs, stones and canes, over 100 truckers transporting coal attacked the Umling weigh bridge premises comprising of the weigh bridge counter, DMR and Sales Tax and the Transport office last evening causing damage to the government offices and leaving two persons injured, Superintendent of Police C V S Reddy told PTI.Reddy said the offices were ransacked and torched leading to injuries to H Kharkongor and Baral Thangkhiew who were present at the times of the incident. Both were shifted to the district Civil Hospital for treatment. The truckers created ruckus and attacked after several trucks were asked to stay put near the weigh bridge for compliance of the order by the National Green Tribunal. The police party stationed at the spot could do little and have to flee after they were being outnumbered, Assistant Enforcement Inspector Damian Rongrin said. Ri Bhoi Deputy Commissioner, the SP, Magistrates and a large police team rushed to the spot to take stock of the situation which was under control. Deputy Commissioner Pooja Pandey said the damages incurred would be less than Rs 10 lakh and the weigh bridge would be made operationalised as early as tomorrow evening. Banned by the NGT for mining and transportation of coal since April last year, the Tribunal had conditionally allowed transportation of extracted coal till February 11.