Finnish Idea Explodes Northeast

Sinlung Says:
Northeast India simmering with Issues of neglect, under-development finds itself in the top of activities every day although the mainland Indian media ignore the region.

With strikes, bandhs, Chakka-Jams everyday and every where. Whatever way and method to air opinion – has been tried, tested and perfected in Northeast India.

From catapults in Imphal protests to Molotov Cocktails…there’s an endless possibility set on this path to destruction of public or sometime private property.

And here’s one of them read below.

Molotov cocktail or kerosene bomb becomes a popular tool to vent anger

By E.M. Jose

Firemen get to work with a vehicle torched with Molotov cocktail in Shillong

Shillong : The Molotov cocktail, a crude bomb devised by Finnish soldiers during their fight against the Soviet Union in 1939, has emerged as a handy and cheap tool to ventilate anger and frustration in Meghalaya.

Four Shillong students, arrested for hurling a kerosene bomb at St Edmund’s School, had used the same method to cause damage to the office of the principal and an adjacent room.

It is not known whether or not the disgruntled youths knew about the soldiers from Finland who used bottles filled with petrol as bombs against the Soviet army during the tenure of then foreign minister Vyacheslav Molotov, but the method they use has similarities.

Coined by Finnish soldiers after the Russian minister Molotov, the petrol, kerosene, and gasoline bombs were in circulation during the Winter War in 1939.

“We are concerned that the Molotov concept is gaining popularity in Meghalaya and there is a need to put a stop to this,” East Khasi Hills superintendent of police A.R. Mawthoh said.

Miscreants are using the principle of Molotov to settle personal scores, which needs to be nipped in the bud, the official said. The Molotov cocktail is easy to make. It is basically a glass bottle fitted with cloth wicks and filled with petrol, kerosene or other inflammable substances. When the bottles are thrown after lighting the wicks, they can cause damage to buildings or vehicles, which are the usual targets.

Petrol bombs were used during an agitation by NGOs under the banner of the Steering Committee Against Murder of Democracy over last year’s jailbreak.

There were similar attacks during protests against uranium mining as well.

In February, goons also threw a petrol bomb at the office of a Khasi daily, but police are yet to arrest the culprits.

“Soon after the agitation sponsored by the Steering Committee Against Murder of Democracy, we banned carrying of petrol in bottles or independent containers,” the East Khasi Hills deputy commissioner, J. Lyngdoh, said.

“We also need to think whether we can extend the ban on the use of kerosene in small bottles or independent containers as there are chances that the miscreants can also use kerosene bombs as well,” he said.

A senior home department official said with the Meghalaya Maintenance of Public Order Bill in the Assembly being passed, those who throw petrol bombs at government vehicles and the buildings will be taken to task as they will have to compensate for the damage caused to property during an agitation.

“We hope the proposed bill will contain the use of petrol bombs,” he added.