Meghalaya: After outrage, one held for slut shaming East Khasi Hills DC

Shillong: The East Khasi Hills Police on Saturday arrested a 38-year-old man from Meghalaya’s Nongingi village for putting up a derogatory comment on Facebook against East Khasi Hills DC Isawanda Laloo, which viral on all social media platforms.

“The Special Cell East Khasi Hills with the assistance of West Jaintia Hills Police nabbed Donlad Shylla at Nongingi village, West Jaintia Hills. He will be produced in court and further investigation is being made to ensure that the case reaches its logical conclusion,” a statement issued by Superintendent of Police Sylvester Nongtnger said.

East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner Isawanda Laloo ended up being on the receiving end of vulgar and sexist comments from anti-vaxxers when she was only doing her job by urging citizens to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

The screenshot of a comment circulated widely across Meghalaya has a picture of Laloo with the headline ‘No vaccination, no reopening of shops.’ A comment on the post by one Donlad Shylla, when roughly translated to English, reads: “DC we will not take the vaccine even if you offer us your va***a.” The message infuriated people across Meghalaya, with chief minister Conrad Sangma and senior journalist Patricia Mukhim issuing strong reactions.

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“One person by the profile name Donlad Shylla, 38 years old, had recently put up a derogatory comment against the Deputy Commissioner, East Khasi Hills on Facebook which has gone viral on all social media platforms. A suo moto case was taken up vide Shillong Sadar Police Station case no. 161(06)2021 U/S 354A (1)(iv)/509 IPC R/w 51(b) DM Act 2005 and registered on 17.06.21,” the SP said.

Earlier on Saturday, chief minister Conrad Sangma took to Twitter to condemn the nasty comments aimed at the DC.

“Condemn the distasteful comments made on the Deputy Commissioner of East Khasi Hills district who has been executing her duties to the best of her ability to ensure the safety of all residents,” Sangma tweeted.

“Supporting the administration that is tirelessly working through this pandemic is the least we can do as responsible citizens,” the chief minister added.

Senior journalist and editor of The Shillong Times Patricia Mukhim said, “Some sick person has just circulated the most vulgar Whatsapp message that defames our young and dynamic Deputy Commissioner East Khasi Hills. If police can’t get this criminal then it’s a collective shame.”

“This is a reaction to the DC’s order urging all who drive commercial vehicles and those running businesses and vendors to be vaccinated, failing which, they shall not be able to operate… This is necessary to enable opening up. The other alternative is the Lockdown. But blockheads without any sense of reasoning and without the vocabulary to argue just lash out in the most despicable language. I wonder where such men are born from? Didn’t they come out of a woman’s vagina? Then why is the vagina so demonised? Sickening,” Mukhim wrote on her Facebook page.