Meghalaya: Mob sets trucks ablaze after fatal accident in East Jaintia Hills

A violent mob attack at the Star Cement premises in Lumshnong, East Jaintia Hills, resulted in the destruction of at least 15 trucks on May 18 evening, following the death of a local resident in a traffic incident.

The unrest began after a collision near Wahiajer village along National Highway-06 involving a Star Cement truck and a pickup vehicle. The truck, reportedly driven by a local resident, fled the scene after the crash. The pickup truck and others pursued it to the cement plant.

Upon confronting the cement truck driver, the pickup driver was reportedly struck and killed when the cement truck moved forward. This fatality triggered an immediate and violent response from the community.

News of the death quickly spread through nearby villages, prompting hundreds of people to storm the Star Cement facility. Armed with traditional weapons and improvised tools, the mob damaged security installations, including the sentry post and CCTV systems, assaulted a security guard, and obstructed authorities from retrieving the deceased's body.

The crowd proceeded to torch multiple trucks within the compound. Despite the swift deployment of fire services, the mob reportedly attempted to block fire tenders and attacked firefighting personnel. Police intervention to safeguard the responders led to clashes, with officers coming under attack.

Authorities confirmed that the fire was eventually brought under control following the arrival of reinforcements. The situation has since stabilised, but a heightened security presence remains in place to prevent further escalation.