Shillong, Sept 19: A booth level officer (BLO) of South Shillong constituency, Banrikynti Ryntathiang has alleged harassment by a resident in Laban after the latter uploaded a photo of the officer on social media suggesting that she was not genuine.
Ryntathiang was moving from house to house for linking EPIC with Aadhaar on September 16.
She filed an FIR with the police on Monday for obstructing Election Commission of India exercise and criminal defamation against her through social media.
In the FIR submitted to the SP (City) Vivek Syiem, Ryntathiang said the complaint against the individual was for publicly defaming her by posting false and defamatory information about her on social media, thereby obstructing her in the official discharge of her duties as deputed by the Election Commission of India. The lady also claimed that her husband was an employee at the East Khasi Hills District SP’s Office but it was not true and hence the case is also for impersonation.
Ryntathiang said on September 16, she carried out her duty of collecting information from households in Thrang Hok Rangad Road to enable linking of EPIC with Aadhaar.
“Around 2 pm, I reached House No 21, the residence of Shri Aameer Nongbri. I pressed the bell, which was answered by Smti Renu Rymbai, his wife. I introduced myself and briefed her about my mission, but she said that she would first seek her husband’s permission before obliging me. Not to waste time, I left telling her that meanwhile, I would collect similar information from the neighbouring house of a resident whose son responded by politely telling me that the documents were misplaced and that he was too busy to look for them at present. I accepted his explanation and said I would come back later. I headed back to Shri Nongbri’s house and while I was climbing up the stairs, Renu Rymbai quickly took a picture of me with her phone without my consent and asked me for my phone number instead. She said that her husband, an employee at the SP’s office, would like to talk to me before sharing any information. Taken aback, I politely told her that I will not share my phone number but that I would willingly talk to her husband through her phone and would explain to him about the purpose of my official visit. However, to my surprise, she rudely responded that she would not talk to me and shut the door, causing me to leave,” she said.
Ryntathiang said she was shocked to receive a whatsapp message from the Assistant Headmen Hubert Marbaniang about a picture of me climbing the stairs to House No 21 and it was captioned “ Girl asking for pan card and epic going house to house at Laban now plz be aware …. Introducing herself from the election commission office…be aware plz inform ur nearby police station”.
According to Ryntathiang, she came to know that Aameer Nongbri is not an employee of the SP office and that it is believed he is/was an employee of the Vodafone telecom company.
“You will agree that the WhatsApp message is indeed highly defamatory with a malafide intention and a gross act of obstruction to my assigned duty as a Booth Level Officer of the 19-South Shillong (GEN) Assembly Constituency,” she said.
She wanted the police to register a case against Renu and her husband Aameer.
