Shillong, Aug 16: Shocked by the high handedness of security forces at a time of volatile situation in Shillong, in the face of public protests over killing of former HNLC general secretary Cheristerfield Thangkhiew by police, the Shillong Press Club (SPC) on Monday lodged an FIR against CRPF personnel for assaulting a driver and vandalizing the vehicle of well known Khasi daily Mawphor Group of Publications at Mawlai Umthlong main junction.
The attack on the press vehicle reportedly took place at around 8.50 pm on Sunday.
In the FIR submitted to the East Khasi Hills SP, President of the SPC David Laitphlang said that the Maruti Car (White) bearing registration number ML-05W-3140, driven by Ferdison Mylliem Umlong, the official driver of Mawphor Group of Publications, was targeted with the vehicle vandalized and the driver grievously assaulted by a posse of CRPF personnel at Mawlai Umthlong main junction.
He said the victim was returning home along with his wife and mother-in-law after procuring medicine for her.
Soon upon reaching the place of occurrence, the vehicle was stopped by the men in uniform who asked the driver to reverse to which he promptly obliged but instead they got irritated for unknown reasons and started lashing out at the car from behind smashing the rear screen completely.
A terrified wife and mother-in-law crawled out of the car in utter fear and made a quick escape towards home to alert family members.
“Not happy with just one disgraceful behavior, the upholders of the law then asked Umlong to turn on the headlights and when he again obeyed; they went berserk shattering whatever glass piece of the already disintegrating car they could lay their batons and assault rifle muzzles upon and furiously denting all metal parts of the car to the moulds of their weapons of choice,” he said.
The SPC urged the police to immediately punish the perpetrators as per the provisions of the law and make the same public, as a benevolent gesture at attempting to regain the lost faith of the people in those mandated to protect their lives.
