Woman Journalist's Assault in Guwahati: Protests Intensify, CM Orders Separate Probe

NEW DELHI: Amid growing protests by the journalist fraternity over the alleged assault and attempt to murder of a woman journalist by the police in Guwahati, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Monday ordered a high-level probe into the incident.

The woman TV journalist along with her cameraperson were allegedly assaulted on Saturday at the Latasil Police station by the police officials on duty- Sub Inspector Samsuddin Ahmed, and O/C (Officer in-charge) of the concerned police station accompanied by other police persons.

The journalist, working with Guwahati based satellite news channel DY365 had gone to the police station which is located near the Guwahati High Court, after due permission, in order to investigate a story relating to the dilapidated condition of the police station premises.

The incident sparked outrageous protests by scribes and various media organisations including DY365 and they held a huge protest outside the State Secretariat on Monday.

Carrying banners and placards and covering their mouth with black clothes, scores of journalists from both the print and electronic media took part in the protest.

The protest was also joined by members of KMSS and Asom Yuva Parishad, among others.

Ironically, around 30 protesters were arrested by the police and taken away in buses, only to be released later in the afternoon.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister has asked the Additional Chief Secretary, Rajiv Bora to carry a probe and submit the probe report within one month.

DY365’s managing editor Pranay Bordoloi, reacting to this inquiry said “We definitely welcome the inquiry announced by the Chief Minister. But, we will continue to press for the suspension and arrest of the two police officers.”

This announcement by Gogoi has come even though the Guwahati Police Commissioner Jyotirmoy Chakraborty had removed the two officers from duty and announced an inquiry into the incident by an Additional Commissioner of Police (ACP).

Also, even the Assam Human Rights Commission (AHRC), taking a suo moto case, has ordered the Chief Secretary of Assam on Monday to institute an enquiry into the alleged assault incident and submit the report within 30 days.

Further, the Electronic Media Forum of Assam (EMFA) , while strongly condemning the incident, has lodged a complaint with National Commission for Women against alleged assault on the Guwahati-based lady TV journalist by male police personnel while she was on duty.

EMFA also denounced the arrests of agitating media persons from the front of Assam Secretariat on Monday, where they assembled peacefully to protest against the physical mishandling of the woman journalist, while urging the “State government to book the culprits under the law.”