Newmai News Network Shillong | April 26 Meghalaya Home Minister, James Sangma on Thursday expressed concern over the growing number of arson cases in the state and said that the government will deal with not just arson but any crime in an effective and swift manner. “We are concerned about the number of arson cases, but at the same time it is not just arson but any type of crime, we will deal with it in an effective, quick and swift manner,” James said here on Thursday. Lately, there is a surge in the number of arson attacks in different parts of Shillong, including the targeting one of the prominent journalists of the state, couple of shops and vehicles. Occurring within a month's time, such incidents have heightened the sense of insecurity among the public. This month the first attack took place when unknown miscreant (s) hurled a petrol bomb inside the compound of one Gobind Upadhyay of Gorkha Samshan Ghat, Barapathar, Shillong. On April 17 this year miscreants lobbed a molotov cocktail at the residence of Shilling Times Editor of a prominent local daily Patrica Mukhim. On the same night, miscreants set ablaze four shops and partially damaged a vehicle at Garikhana adjacent to Gorkha Patsala School playground. A week later three two wheelers was set ablaze by miscreants in the middle of the night at Rilbong. Assuring that the police department is working hard to ensure that a safe environment prevails, James said, “We are stepping up patrolling and we want to ensure that the level of such kind of incidences comes down.” Meanwhile, East Khasi Hills District, Superintendent of Police, Davis Marak said that patrolling has been intensified and an additional company of the CRPF has been deployed in the sensitive areas. He said that the police have also instructed the public especially those residing in sensitive areas to install CCTV cameras as in most of the areas where the attacks occurred there are no witnesses as these attacks take place mostly in the middle of the night.
