Shillong, May 30: Cabinet ministers, tourism bodies and Mahila Congress have criticised national media for portraying Sohra ( Cherrapunjee) as crime prone area after the Indore couple went missing there.
Speaking to reporters,Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh on Friday said the matter will be taken up at the appropriate level.
Food and Civil Supplies Comingone Ymbon also slammed the national media for dubbing Meghalaya as a crime prone hill state.
He assured that the search and rescue operation teams are trying their best to rescue the couple from Madhya Pradesh, after they went missing while on a honeymoon in Sohra.
He termed the incident as unfortunate and said, “The government has sent many teams to search for the couple. We don’t know, there has been heavy rainfall for four-five days now and our team is continuously searching.”
The minister said to brand Sohra as a crime prone hill is not a good idea.
According to Ymbon, Sohra is one of the best places for people of India
“I don’t like it too because I never heard any crimes happening in Sohra as it is a peaceful place and people there are also very innocent,”Ymbon added
The Meghalaya Tourism Development Forum (MTDF) has asked the national media to be responsible while reporting stories from the North East region.
Addressing media persons, MTDF president Larsing Sawiang said the hills have been branded crime prone. Now this is a very serious statement to make because it insinuates that Meghalaya or the Khasi Hills is an area prone to crime, which is highly misleading and condemnable”, he said.
The Meghalaya Pradesh Mahila Congress President Joplyn Scott Shylla has expressed disappointment over the way certain journalists and media outlets are handling the case of the missing couple from Indore, who disappeared while on vacation in Meghalaya.
The Mahila Congress described it as “irresponsible and sensational journalism,” accusing sections of the media of turning a tragic incident into a spectacle for viewership and profit.
“This is not entertainment. This is a real-life crisis involving the newly wed from Indore and their grieving families,” said the President of the MPMC. “We are disturbed by how some media houses are sensationalizing the case instead of supporting efforts to locate the couple.”
The MPMC pointed out several troubling practices, including the circulation of unverified rumors, exaggerated headlines, and the use of emotional distress for clickbait. According to the organization, such behavior not only disrespects the families involved but also interferes with the ongoing investigation by putting unnecessary pressure on local authorities and spreading misinformation.
The president of MPMC expressed concern over how Meghalaya is being portrayed in national coverage.
“Our state is being painted with a brush of mystery and danger, instead of being seen for the warmth and hospitality we offer. This is not just bad journalism — it’s harmful stereotyping,” the president added.
The MPMC called on journalists to remember their social responsibility and urged media organizations to prioritize ethics over engagement metrics. “We need coverage that helps — not hinders — the search. We need truth, not theatrics.”
They also appealed to the Press Council of India and media watchdogs to take note of the ongoing situation and issue guidelines to curb exploitative reporting in such sensitive cases.
As the search for the missing couple continues, the Meghalaya Pradesh Mahila Congress has pledged to support the authorities and the families involved, while continuing to call for integrity in journalism.
“We ask the media to be human first, and journalists second. Let compassion lead the story, not sensationalism,” .
