Threat to Editor condemned

SHILLONG, AUG 9: The Shillong Press Club (SPC) condemned the arm twisting tactic used by one Agal B Sangma who claims to represents the ‘Government of Garoland’ against the Garo weekly editor Alva B Sangma on Friday.

Agal B Sangma had sent a message from his mobile phone as a press release to Alva Sangma demanding the arrest of the fugitive cop Nurul Islam and threatened that if the police failed to arrest him he will instead shoot the police.

However, at the end of the message, Agal B Sangma issued a threat to the editor of the Garo weekly saying that “If you do not publish it we will show you some sign.”

This threat is seen as strong arms tactic by the SPC.

In a statement issued Friday evening the SPC president David Laitphlang said, “The Shillong Press Club has taken strong exception to such a threat on the press fraternity of Meghalaya and wishes to make it amply clear that under no circumstances will the press fraternity of Meghalaya be cowed down by such cheap attempts to use the media for achieving personal agenda.”

The release from the SPC also urged the state government to take note of the threat to the media person and ensure that the whosoever had issued the threat to Alva must be apprehended and punished as per provisions of the law.

The SPC reiterated its commitment to ensure free and fair dissemination of information to the peace loving people of the state.- By Our Reporter