PEC expresses concern over attacks on Assam media persons

Guwahati: Press Emblem Campaign (PEC), the global media safety and rights body, has expressed serious concern over the mob attack on a number of media persons, engaged on duty, in Assam of far eastern India, while they were covering a protest demonstration in Baksa locality on 15 October.

A section of agitators, who were demanding justice to Assam’s cultural icon Zubeen Garg soon after his mysterious death in Singapore on 19 September, targeted the reporters and video journalists as five accused in the sensational case were shifted to Baksa jail from Guwahati.

Also Read: Assam: On Zubeen probe, TMC leader seeks parallel investigation

The agitators were  demanding instant justice and aggressively opposed their shifting by indulging in stone pelting on the convoy of police vehicles, which prompted retaliatory actions.

A number of agitators, police personnel and media workers namely Dhruba Bora, Pradip Das and Paragmoni Das  (ND24), Rana Deka, Banajit Kalita and Apura Sarma (NK Tv), Brajen Taluder and Krishna Deka (News Live),  Abhijit Talukder (DY365), Biricnhi Kr  Deka (News 18 Assam/NE), Nokul Talukder (Pratidin Time),  Jintumoni Das (Pratham Khabar),  Sourav Dey (Prag News),  Akhyendra Deka (Pratibimba Live) and Dilip Kr Boro (ETV Bharat) sustained injuries. Moreover, a vehicle owned by a Guwahati-based satellite news channel (DY365) was torched by a section of miscreants.

“We condemn the physical assaults on the media persons on duty as they were  doing their duties only. The authorities in Assam need to take care of all injured individuals and  nab the culprits to punish them under the law,” said Blaise Lempen, president of PEC (pressemblem.ch), additionally emphasizing on orientation courses for the ground reporters and video journalists to safeguard them in a disturbing situation that may emerge anytime in the south Asian region.