A petrol bomb was allegedly hurled at the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office in Shillong in the early hours of Thursday, prompting police to intensify patrolling as the city witnessed a series of suspected attacks during Durga Puja.
The incident occurred around 12.05 am at the ED office in Langkyrding Mihngi, where two masked individuals riding a scooter allegedly threw the explosive device before fleeing. East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police Vivek Syiern said no structural damage was reported. A security guard present on the premises reportedly became aware of the incident only in the morning.
Police are examining CCTV footage to identify the suspects, and a case is being registered. No arrests have been made in connection with the recent incidents.
The latest attack followed suspected petrol bomb incidents at Keating Road, Kenches Trace and Laiturnkhrah. East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner Abhilash Baranwal said no injuries or property damage had been reported in the earlier incidents.
Baranwal said additional police personnel had been deployed across Shillong, with regular magistrate rounds and intensified night patrolling introduced, particularly during late-night and early-morning hours. He appealed to residents to remain calm and help preserve the city’s communal harmony and peaceful environment.
In one of the recent incidents, unidentified persons allegedly hurled a petrol bomb into the premises of the Directorate of Employment and Craftsmen Training, which houses the Meghalaya State Skill Development Society, opposite Civil Hospital, at around 7 pm on October 20. According to eyewitnesses, two people arrived on a scooter without a number plate, and one of them threw the device through the gate before both fled.
Another suspected attack was reported in Mawbah on the night of October 17, when an object allegedly thrown near a momo stall partially burnt an abandoned scooter. In a separate incident, unidentified persons reportedly attempted to set fire to the welcome gate of the Kench’s Trace Puja Committee in Laban in the early hours of Monday.
Police investigations are continuing, with CCTV footage being examined to identify those responsible. Authorities have warned that security measures will remain intensified to prevent further incidents and maintain law and order.
