PTI
GUWAHATI, FEBRUARY 2
Journalists holding placards and banners today protested against the alleged assault, attempt to murder and outrage the modesty of a woman reporter of a Guwahati-based television news channel in a police station here where she had gone on duty.
Covering their mouth with black cloth, the scribes demonstrated in front of the Assam Secretariat demanding arrest of the 'guilty officials' and their dismissal from the service as well as assurance from the state government that the voice of the media, guaranteed by the Constitution, is not muzzled.
Why the police officials were not arrested when common people are taken into custody for attacking women, Executive Editor of DY365 channel Pranay Bordoloi said.Union Sports Minister Sarbananda Sonowal after meeting the protesting media persons today said, "When women journalists are attacked during their line of duty by the upholders of law, then women in general cannot be safe in the state."
"There is lawlessmess all over the state under the Tarun Gogoi-led Government in Assam. The attack on media shows that people in the state are not safe. The government has failed to ensure safety and security to not only the citizens but also to journalists during their duty," alleged the MP from Assam.
Many social organisations and others joined the protesting scribes describing the 'assault' as an attack on democracy and demanded justice for the woman journalist and camera person.
The protesting scribes were not allowed to enter the Secretariat which was turned into a fortress with heavy police bandobast.
A press conference by a minister scheduled inside the Secretariat this afternoon was 'postponed' as informed by the Directorate of Information and Public Relations via e-mail.
The protesting media persons were arrested and taken away before they were released later on bail.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has ordered an inquiry by Additional Chief Secretary Rajib Bora into the alleged misbehaviour by police with the woman journalist.
According to the FIR filed by the concerned TV reporter, she and the camera person of DY365 TV news channel had gone to Latasil police station at about 12.15 PM to cover a story on January 31.
With permission of the policeman at the gate, they entered the police station compound and took "photographs of the dilapidated condition of the premises and quarter rented out by policemen to others", the FIR filed at Latasil police station stated.
"When we were about to leave the P S campus, Sub Inspector Samsuddin Ahmed, and O/C of the concerned P S along with other police persons and tenants assaulted us and used criminal force against me intending to disrobe me," she alleged in the FIR.
"Thereafter they dragged me and my camera person inside the police station and mercilessly beat us and have pointed official arms at us, thereby attempting to murder us and threatened us not to publish the story and have in the process broken our equipment and (we) sustained injuries," she stated.
Soon after the incident, media persons, particularly from the local TV news channels, demonstrated shouting slogans at the police station protesting against the alleged assault and demanded arrest of the concerned policemen who allegedly resorted to attack on the media persons.
Meanwhile, various media bodies, the Electronic Media Forum Assam (EMFA), Journalists Forum of Assam(JFA), besides social organisations, political parties, including ruling Congress, opposition BJP, AIUDF, AGP, have condemned the attack on media.
The EMFA and JFA also demanded framing of a law across the country to protect the media persons on duty.
The press fraternity of Arunachal Pradesh led by the members of Arunachal Press Club (APC), Arunachal Pradesh Union of Working Journalist (APUWJ) and Arunachal Electronic Media Association (AEMA) have also condemned the alleged police atrocity on the woman scribe and video journalist.
Terming the incident as a matter of serious concern for the freedom of the Press in a democratic country, they extended moral support to the ongoing protest by the media fraternity in Guwahati for the greater interest of media fraternity of the North East region.
Assam Human Rights Commission today issued notice to state Chief Secretary for instituting a probe into the reported incident of a woman journalist being assaulted by policemen here on January 31.
AHRC chairperson Justice Dr Aftab H Saikia and member Tarun Phookan registered a case, taking suo moto cognizance of the news reports published in local newspapers about alleged police atrocities on the woman journalist of Guwahati-based TV Channel Dy365 and its video journalist.
The AHRC directed the Chief Secretary to have the incident probed by an officer not below the rank of a Commissioner and Secretary and submit a report within 30 days.
The Commission mentioned the news report that the woman journalist had gone to Latasil police station premises here on January 31 after taking permission from the officer on duty to take footage of the alleged pathetic condition of barracks and renting of police quarters to civilians.
Officer-in-Charge Chidananda Bora, and sub-inspector Samsuddin Ahmed assaulted her and damaged their video camera, the AHRC said quoting media reports.
Ahmed also reportedly filed a counter-FIR charging the two journalists with trespassing in the police premises, the Commission noted.
The AHRC further quoted media reports that the two police officers were removed from duty following protests by various organisations, especially the media, and political parties.
