Press and media personnel in Mokokchung were on Wednesday subjected to uncomfortable frisking by a group of women in Mongsenyimti village in the district. The incident occurred when several press personnel from reputed media houses in the state were enroute to the village to cover a political event.

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“The press personnel as professionals reasoned with the women and produced their ECI Media Identity Cards issued by the Chief Electoral Officer, Nagaland for free movement of media personnel, which the women did not honour,” Mokokchung Press Club stated.

According to MPC, the women were unreasonable despite being shown ID Cards. They conducted unauthorized body frisking of the media personnel and searched the vehicles that had the ‘PRESS’ and ‘On Election Duty’ stickers issued by the Deputy Commissioner and District Election Officer, Mokokchung, it stated.

MPC condemned the act as “tantamount to impeding the Constitutional right and freedom of the press.”

“Perpetrators of such illegitimate acts are liable for legal prosecution,” it added.

The Press Club of Mokokchung appealed to the DC and DEO of the district “to rein in such unscrupulous elements so as to ensure that freedom of the press in Mokokchung is not subdued.”