Shillong, June 02: In the spate press statement today the Meghalaya Editor’s and Publisher Association (MEPA) and the Shillong Press Club condemns the action taken by the police who raid the residence of the Joint Editor of U Mawphor on the 1st June last night.
In the press statement of the Meghalaya Editors’ and Publishers’ Association (MEPA) was shocked to learn that some masked Meghalaya Police personnel, without any rhyme and reason, have stormed into the house of a senior scribe, Shri. Powell Sohkhlet, Joint Editor of Mawphor, a prominent Khasi vernacular newspaper of Meghalaya. This act of the police has caused fear pschychosis and consternation to the inmates of the house, especially the wife and children of Mr. Sohkhlet and other inmates who were in deep sleep during the late night of June 1.
This is high handedness, arbitrary and violation of laid down rules by the police with regard to house search without observing the laid down sections of the law under Cr.P.C.
MEPA strongly condemns this arbitrary and unwarranted Act of the police and demand that the police responsible for this be punished immediately according to the law. Moreover, MEPA vehemently demands the police authorities to desist from such acts in future, especially in dealing with scribes.
Further, MEPA strongly condemns those responsible for throwing petrol bombs at the vehicle that carried The Shillong Times Newspapers to Tura on the same night of June 1. It appeals to the Police to track down those responsible and punish them according to the law of the land. Again, MEPA appeals to all people of Meghalaya to demonstrate sanity during times of disturbances, not to lend credence to rumours and also not to take the law unto themselves but to show maturity and judiciousness by taking recourse to legal means to redress grievances with appropriate authorities.
The Shillong Press Club strongly condemns the arbitrary and ludicrous behavior of Meghalaya Police personnel who raided the residence of its General Secretary Mr. Powell Sohkhlet late night on Thursday June 1, 2017.
What is appalling is that all personnel except the team leader were masked as if afraid to disclose their identity and entered Mr. Sohkhlet’s residence without a warrant and in his absence citing that they were looking for a family member who is a KSU activist. All personnel were male and they entered even rooms occupied by female members of the family thereby terrifying them and minor children as well.
Was it necessary to treat a student activist as though he were a wanted criminal or a militant? Shouldn’t he not have been called to report to the concerned police station if at all the police needed him? Was it necessary to barge into his residence late night as if there was no tomorrow? These questions are just a brief of what one might deduce from this atrocious behavior.
The Shillong Press Club therefore takes strong exception towards this uncouth and unprofessional behavior by the law keepers and demands stringent action be taken against the concerned personnel with immediate effect.It is expected that Meghalaya Police and especially Shillong police live up to its declared mission of maintaining a ‘Safe and Secure Shillong’ at all times.
