East Khasi Hills: An Indian Police Service (IPS) officer was injured in Meghalaya’s capital Shillong after a scooty allegedly hit him while its riders were attempting to flee a late-night vehicle checking operation.
The incident took place around 1:30 am on Friday in the Urkaliar area of Shillong, where police personnel were conducting vehicle checks as part of intensified security measures in the city.
The injured officer has been identified as Lovish Garg, Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP), Traffic, in East Khasi Hills district. He was rushed to a hospital following the incident and subsequently shifted to a specialised ward for further treatment.
According to police, two men riding the scooty attempted to evade the checking and continued riding aggressively despite being directed to stop.
IPS Officer Hit While Trying to Stop Fleeing Scooty
Superintendent of Police (City) Dangsan Khyriem said the two riders attempted to escape the vehicle-checking point.
According to the SP, Garg intervened to prevent their escape and signalled the rider to stop. Instead of complying with the direction, the scooty allegedly accelerated towards the officer and struck him.
The impact caused serious injuries to Garg, following which police personnel immediately rushed him to a local hospital for emergency medical attention.
Khyriem said the circumstances surrounding the incident indicated that the act was deliberate and appeared to have been intended to cause grievous injury to the officer while evading the checking.
The police have registered a case of attempted murder in connection with the incident.
Lovish Garg Under Observation After Surgery
Following the collision, Garg was admitted to a hospital for treatment. He was initially provided emergency medical care before being shifted to a specialised ward.
Police said the officer underwent a minor surgery and remained under observation.
The incident has prompted concern within the police department as the officer was reportedly injured while carrying out a vehicle-checking operation in the early hours of the morning.
Two Accused Arrested
Both men who were riding the scooty have been arrested and are currently in police custody.
The police are investigating the circumstances surrounding their movement at around 1:30 am and their alleged attempt to evade the checking.
The identity and background of the accused are part of the ongoing investigation. Police have also said that they suspect the two men to be members of the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU).
However, their alleged association with the organisation and the motive behind their movement are subject to investigation.
“The motive behind their movement at that hour of the night and attempt to escape the checking is being ascertained through a thorough investigation. A case of attempted murder has been registered,” SP (City) Dangsan Khyriem said.
Police Intensify Vehicle Checking in Shillong
The incident occurred amid heightened security and vehicle-checking measures in Shillong following a series of recent incidents involving petrol bomb attacks.
According to the police, miscreants have targeted police stations, government establishments and government property in several such incidents in recent weeks.
Vehicle checking has consequently been intensified in different parts of the city as authorities seek to prevent further incidents and maintain public order.
Police have reiterated that people must comply with lawful directions issued by officers during checking operations.
Security Situation After August 19 Shillong Violence
The heightened security measures followed violence in Shillong on August 19 during a “black flag bike rally” organised by the KSU in support of its various demands.
During the rally, several vehicles, mostly registered in neighbouring Assam, and individuals were attacked.
The violence was followed by police action against members of the organisation, with six KSU leaders subsequently arrested.
The recent petrol bomb attacks targeting police stations and government establishments have further contributed to the security concerns in the city.
Against this backdrop, police have continued vehicle-checking operations, particularly to monitor suspicious movement and maintain law and order during late-night hours.
Police Warn Against Evading Checks
The police have said that vehicle checking will continue in the interest of public safety and maintenance of law and order.
“All persons are expected to comply with lawful directions issued by the police during such operations,” the police said.
The authorities also warned that attempts to evade police checking or disregard directions issued by police personnel on duty would invite action under the law.
The injury to IPS officer Lovish Garg has added another serious dimension to the ongoing security situation in Shillong, with the investigation now focusing on the circumstances of the collision, the alleged intent behind the attempt to flee and the motive of the two arrested men.
The police investigation will also establish the exact sequence of events and determine the circumstances leading to the registration of the attempted murder case.
About Lovish Garg
Mr Garg is a 2022-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the Assam-Meghalaya cadre (Meghalaya wing). He secured an All India Rank (AIR) of 184 in the UPSC Civil Services Examination, 2021, and formally joined the IPS on December 19, 2022. Originally from Punjab, he holds an integrated B.A., LL.B. (Hons.) degree from NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad, where he graduated in 2019.
During his academic career, he served as an associate editor of the Indian Journal of Air and Space Law and developed academic interests in Aviation Law, International Refugee Law, and Third World Approaches to International Law (TWAIL). He also worked as a research assistant, examining and classifying data from thousands of Supreme Court judgments. During his training at the Sardar Vallabhbhbhai Patel National Police Academy (SVPNPA), he commanded Platoon No. 8 during the 76 RR passing-out parade.
After being allocated to the Assam-Meghalaya cadre, he served as Deputy Commandant of the 5th Meghalaya Police (MLP) Battalion at Samanda and currently serves as the Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP), in charge of Traffic, in East Khasi Hills district, Shillong.
On September 18, 2026, ASP Lovish Garg was seriously injured while conducting a late-night law-and-order vehicle check (naka checking) in the Urkaliar area of Shillong. According to the reported account, a two-wheeler carrying two individuals accelerated toward him and struck him after he signalled them to stop. Garg sustained injuries and underwent minor surgery at a private hospital, where he was subsequently kept under observation.
The Meghalaya Police arrested the two individuals, who were reportedly found to have been driving under the influence of alcohol. Authorities are continuing to investigate the incident, including reported questions about possible links between the suspects and the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU).
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