AMD scientist, 2 others injured in attack in Meghalaya

A scientist of the Atomic Mineral Division and two other officers were injured after miscreants attacked them during uranium exploration exercises at Wahkaji village in Meghalaya's West Khasi Hills district, police said today.

Two vehicles used by the officers were also set on fire and damaged, they said.

The injured scientist S Mukherjee along with officers S Das and S Saurabh were rushed to the North East Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Medical Sciences here for treatment, a police officer said.

District Deputy Commissioner I Laloo said the three were involved in exploratory activities of minerals including Uranium in the area, when the incident took place yesterday.

Wahkaji, the village where the AMD officials had gone is located near a proposed uranium mining site, where the No Objection Certificate for mining had been cancelled after protests from anti-uranium groups.

Director General of Police S B Singh said the AMD had "failed" to take the state authorities into confidence, and went ahead and met local landowners for general survey of minerals in their land.

Singh also advised AMD Regional Director Sandeep Hamilton to keep the state government informed about future operations.

Hamilton had met the DGP at his office in the evening to provide a first-hand information on the incident.

According to the DGP, a few suspects have been identified and the matter is under investigation.