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Geneva: The Press Emblem Campaign (PEC), a global media safety and rights body, has expressed serious concern over the attack on several journalists and camera persons in Baksa district of Assam on October 15, while they were covering a protest demanding justice for late singer Zubeen Garg.
The violent incident occurred when agitators clashed with the police during the transfer of five accused in the singer’s death case from Guwahati to Baksa Jail. Protesters resorted to stone pelting on police vehicles, leading to retaliatory action by law enforcement personnel.
Several media professionals sustained injuries in the incident, including Dhruba Bora, Pradip Das, and Paragmoni Das (ND24); Rana Deka, Banajit Kalita, and Apurba Sarma (NK TV); Brajen Talukder and Krishna Deka (News Live); Abhijit Talukder (DY365); Birinchi Kr Deka (News18 Assam/NE); Nokul Talukder (Pratidin Time); Jintumoni Das (Pratham Khabar); Sourav Dey (Prag News); Akhyendra Deka (Pratibimba Live); and Dilip Kr Boro (ETV Bharat).
A news channel vehicle (DY365) was also set on fire by miscreants during the chaos.
“We condemn the physical assaults on media persons who were simply performing their professional duties,” said Blaise Lempen, President of PEC (pressemblem.ch). He urged the Assam authorities to ensure medical care for the injured journalists and take strict action against those responsible for the violence.
