Police complaint against Meghalaya journalist over FB post

Shillong, July 6

A police complaint was filed on Monday against veteran journalist Patricia Mukhim by a village council in Meghalaya over her Facebook post, claiming that it might incite communal tension, officials said.

Mukhim, a Padma Shri awardee and the editor of The Shillong Times newspaper, had hit out at the Lawsohtun village ‘dorbar’ (council) on Facebook for failing to identify the “murderous elements” after five boys were attacked at a basketball court on Friday.

Police have detained 11 suspects for questioning, but no one has been arrested in the case, East Khasi Hills district Superintendent of Police Sylvester Nongtynger told PTI.

The police are examining the complaint against Mukhim regarding the comments, he said.

In the complaint, Lawsohtun headman Lurshai Shylla said her statement incited communal tension and might instigate communal conflict.

According to the complaint, some media houses in West Bengal had publicised the issue by giving communal colour because of her post mentioning the 1979 conflict between tribals and non-tribals.

Therefore, it put all Khasis outside in extreme danger, the complaint stated.

“We are examining it (the complaint). You will get to know,” the SP said.

Reacting to the complaint, Mukhim said: “I will fight it out (in court).” PTI