Journalist's residence raided in Meghalaya

Meghalaya police today raided the residence of a senior journalist here allegedly without a warrant while he was away at his workplace.
The Shillong Press Club has condemned the raid at the residence of P Sohkhlet, also their general secretary, and termed it as "unprofessional behaviour" by the police, who entered all rooms without any warrant from the court of law.
Defending the raid, city police SP Vivek Syiem said, "We acted on a specific information that a wanted person was hiding there. How do we know it is a residence of a journalist?"
Asked if there was any warrant for the raid, Syiem said the raid was conducted as soon as the information was received. A team was sent to the location.

Sohkhlet's nephew is a Khasi Students' Union (KSU) activist and was away in his native village when the raid took place.
KSU had led an attack at a railway construction site in Ri-Bhoi district last month after which six of its leaders were arrested in connection with it.

Sohkhlet said the raid was "inappropriate" as there was no formal warrant issued to his nephew to appear in a police station in any case.
"How can they enter rooms occupied by women and even barge into the toilets? My entire family was shaken as I was not there," Sohkhlet said.
Shillong Press Club President D O Laitphlang demanded action against those involved in the raid.

"The Shillong Press Club takes strong exception to this uncouth and unprofessional behaviour by the law keepers and demands stringent action against the concerned personnel with immediate effect," Laitphlang said in a statement.