SHILLONG: The nephew of Information and Public Relations Minister, AL Hek was arrested on Friday night for allegedly assaulting a journalist.
According to police, Sunshine Khongwir (33), the nephew of Hek and a resident of Golf link Mawpun, was arrested together with Raju Jyrwa (26) of Golflink, Sandeep Chettri (27) of Nongmynsong, and Henry Jamatia (26) of Rynjah for assaulting Sameer Sohliya, a senior staff correspondent with The Sentinel on Thursday night.
All the accused, who were produced before the court on Saturday, were remanded to five-day police custody.
It was on October 30 at around 10 pm that Sohliya was assaulted near Ward’s Lake while he was on his way back home.
The FIR lodged by Sohliya with Sadar Police Station, said that it was after he intervened to prevent the assault of his friends by a group of persons that he was too assaulted.
“They attacked me and my friends with bricks, damaging my helmet and causing injury to me,” the FIR said.
Thanks to the intervention of the guards posted at Taraghar near the place of occurrence, police acted swiftly after the matter was informed .
According to the FIR, the accused were travelling in a commercial taxi (ML-05K-7554) and in two-wheelers. They also abused the press while assaulting.
The Shillong Press Club has appreciated the swift response from the police in arresting the persons involved in the assault of the journalist.
