A 26-year-old journalist working for a Bengali newspaper in Assam’s Silchar was allegedly assaulted by a group of men, who also vandalised the office of the media house, police said on Friday.
Police officers said the attack took place in the Second Link Road area of Silchar town at around 7:30 pm on Thursday, following which the victim lodged a First Information Report (FIR) at Rangirkhari Police Station.
“Based on the FIR, we have registered a case and also detained one of the accused persons. We have collected CCTV footage to identify others, and further investigation is underway,” Cachar additional superintendent of police (crime) Rajat Pal said.
Raju Das, who works as a reporter and anchor for Silchar-based newspaper-cum-digital platform Barak Bani, alleged that the accused first called him to ask where he was and later entered the office to assault him.
“After I told them that I was working at the office, they came there and entered the room saying they wanted to discuss something. But suddenly one of them started punching me while wearing brass knuckles. I started bleeding and almost fell unconscious before my colleagues intervened and saved me,” he told HT on Friday.
The owner of the newspaper, Nikhil Das, alleged that Raju was receiving threats for covering news related to gambling and certain other illegal activities. “When I intervened during the assault, I asked the attackers why they were angry, but they only warned me to stay away,” he said.
Police said they are interrogating the detained youth and that the exact motive behind the attack is yet to be known.
The Silchar Press Club also condemned the incident. “The safety of journalists has become a matter of concern, and this is not the first such incident here. In the recent past, multiple young journalists have been assaulted, and we feel the state government must introduce additional measures to protect journalists,” general secretary Shankar Dey said, adding that the organisation would stage a protest against the assault.
Raju’s family members said he sustained serious head injuries and is undergoing treatment at a hospital in Silchar.
“Some of the injuries are deep and, after the CT scan, doctors advised immediate admission,” family members said, adding that he is responding well to treatment.
Police said they would collect the medical reports and record Raju’s statement once doctors permit them to do so.
