By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Oct 16: The car of former pastor of Mawkhar Presbyterian Church, Rev Kyrsoibor Pyrtuh, was found vandalised on Thursday evening, raising questions over whether the incident was an act of random mischief or linked to an earlier attack on the vehicle of another pastor associated with the same church.
Speaking to The Shillong Times, Rev Pyrtuh said he had parked his Maruti car near New Hope Restaurant before Barik Point around 6 pm and returned around 10 pm to find the glass on the passenger side shattered.
“I was shocked to see the broken glass. There was nothing valuable inside the car. Sometimes, I do not even lock it,” Pyrtuh said.
He further said that the stretch of road was busy when he returned, with trucks transporting idols to various Durga Puja pandals. He did not know when the vandalism occurred or who was responsible. “It could have been the handiwork of a drug addict, but I cannot say for certain,” he said.
He added that he looked for CCTV cameras in the vicinity before starting his vehicle but could identify only one camera near the Superintendent of Police’s office, some distance from where the car was parked.
Pyrtuh said he frequently parked his car in the area while visiting roadside vendors who had been shifted to Brightwell Bungalow.
The incident has drawn attention because of an earlier attack on a Mahindra Bolero car belonging to Rev MacDonald Pyngrope, who is associated with the Mawkhar Presbyterian Church. Police had launched an investigation into that incident, in which the vehicle’s rear windshield was reportedly shattered.
The earlier case emerged amid an internal church dispute involving allegations of misappropriation of church funds. There is, however, no official confirmation that either of the incidents was connected to the dispute.
Pyrtuh said he had not filed an FIR, citing the other commitments of the police. He also questioned the need to lodge a complaint, pointing out that there was still no clarity on the progress of the investigation into the earlier case.