SHILLONG: A vehicle, bearing Assam registration number, was set on fire by miscreants on Tuesday evening.

The incident took place at Jhalupara area in Shillong city of Meghalaya.

No casualty or injury any person due to the incident has been reported thus far.

Fire tenders rushed to the spot to douse the flame.

Meanwhile, security in and around Shillong city has been beefed up to prevent further escalation of tensions.

This incident is being seen as an aftermath of the firing incident that took place at Mukroh village in West Jaiñtia Hills district of Meghalaya.

Six people, including an Assam forest guard, died after personnel of the Assam police allegedly opened fire at a crowd on Tuesday morning.

Among the six decreased persons, five were Meghalaya residents and one was an Assam forest guard.

“6 persons died due to firing by Assam police and Assam forest guards,” said Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma on Tuesday.

The Meghalaya CM said: “The Meghalaya government strongly condemns the incident where the Assam police and Assam forest guards entered Meghalaya and resorted to unprovoked firing.”

“GoM will take all steps to ensure that justice is served and action is taken against those responsible in this inhuman act,” the Meghalaya chief minister added.

Sources said the clash between the Assam police and the a group of people from Meghalaya broke out after Karbi Aglong district forest officials seized a truck transporting illegal timber in the early hours of Tuesday.

The truck was intercepted on the Meghalaya border by an Assam Forest Department team at around 3am.

As the truck tried to flee, the forest guards fired at it and punctured a tyre. The driver, a handyman and another person were apprehended, while others managed to escape, he said.

The forest guards informed the Zirikending police station and asked for reinforcements, he added.

As police reached the spot, a strong mob from Meghalaya armed with sharp weapons gathered at the spot at around 5 am, the officer said.

As the mob gheraoed the forest guards and the police, demanding the immediate release of those arrested, the officers fired at them to bring the situation under control, he said.

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