GUWAHATI: One of the most popular routes in the region has come under the radar via a Facebook post, as a local alleged “deliberate harassment” of commuters by the locals in Meghalaya.
A Guwahati resident who was travelling to Shillong last week via the Guwahati-Shillong Road, was involved in an accident when his car skidded off the road and landed in a small ditch. He alleged that some locals are involved in such activity where they spill oil or Mobil on the roads so as to make the cars skid.
Abdul Hannan, a resident of Guwahati, who was travelling with his wife and his eight-month-old child to Shillong, told G Plus that the incident occurred at Barapani in Meghalaya.
“I strongly suspect that some locals purposely spill oil on the roads right before the rains, especially on sharp turns, so that the cars skid and land in small ditches. A few boys then turn up on the spot and demand close to Rs 5000 to tow away the car of the tourists,” said Hannan.
He further added that since he and his family members were wearing seat belts, no one sustained any serious injuries. His wife however, received a few stitches.
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Talking to G Plus, Hannan added that after a while, two men reached the spot in a police car.
“But they were dressed in plain-clothes and also had a tow truck with them. They started towing my car without even asking me. When I asked if they have come from the police station or privately, they replied that this was a private car and said that they would charge Rs. 5000 to get my car out of the ditch,” informed Hannan.
The incident occurred on April 14, and uploaded this video on Facebook the next day, which was widely shared.
Hannan also said that after he uploaded the video on Facebook, he received a lot of messages and comments from people saying that they had faced similar ordeal in their commute to Meghalaya.
Tanvir Yusuf Ahmed, another victim of a similar incident said, “Five of us were travelling together to Shillong when our car met with an accident as it slipped off the road. It then came to a halt after hitting a rock. We later saw that oil was spilled on the road which made the car skid.”
Ahmed added that almost immediately after the accident a few boys reached the spot with a tow vehicle and demanded money to tow the car away.
G Plus tried reaching out to Meghalaya police for a statement about the incident, but could not establish a connection.
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