'Hindu Jagaran Mancha' activists attack 'Pratidin Time' employees in Jorhat; 3 arrested

JORHAT: At least two 'Pratidin Time' employees were injured after miscreants claiming affiliation to the 'Hindu Jagaran Mancha' carried out an attack on the prominent television channel's office in Jorhat, Upper Assam. Two of the employees -- identified as Jintu Saikia and Prakash Karmakar -- sustained serious injuries.

 

According to reports, at least 18 youths barged into the office of the prominent news channel located along the Old Circuit Road and proceeded to attack the journalists.

 

"The attackers reportedly came to the office in the evening and thrashed some of the 'Pratidin' employees. We were able to zero in on them after launching an investigation and they claim affiliation to the Hindu Jagaran Mancha", said a police official.

 

The official said that a probe is currently underway to determine whether the attackers are actually affiliated with the right-wing body or were simply lying.

 

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After a case was registered, as many as three of the assailants have been arrested by Jorhat police personnel. The authorities have also seized a blue Wagon R vehicle that the assailants were travelling in.

 

The arrested youths have been identified as Rajiv Bora, Shyamal Jyoti Bora, and Bhaben Gogoi.

 

Meanwhile, the Jorhat police have registered a complaint against the miscreants and investigations are currently underway.

 

This latest attack on media personnel comes against the backdrop of increasing concerns among the fraternity, who have been singled out by nefarious elements hell-bent on destroying free voices.

 

In a terrifying incident, an unidentified person lobbed a hand grenade inside the office of a local newspaper ‘Poknapham’ in Imphal on Saturday evening. According to CCTV footage, the grenade was lobbed by a woman whose identity is yet to be ascertained.

 

The AMWJU and the Editors Guild of Manipur have announced that newspaper offices and television channels would remain shut, and publication would be suspended.

 

32 newspapers, mostly vernacular, are published daily from Manipur and there are several cable-based television channels.

 

Chief minister N. Biren Singh said on Tuesday that his government had set up a four-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the shocking incident.