Assam: Home guards assault Journalist in Silchar hospital, suspended

A journalist in Assam's Cachar district has been beaten with a stick by home guards at the premises of Silchar Medical College and Hospitals (SMCH). 

The incident happened on Saturday (November 12) night when a journalist named Biswa Kalyan Purkayastha went to deliver food for his sister-in-law who is admitted to SMCH, according to the family members. 

Purkayastha said that his sister-in-law gave birth to a baby boy on November 11 as she was admitted in critical condition. The doctors on Saturday evening suggested the family members give her soft food. 

“At around 11.20 pm, I went to SMCH with some food where a few men in uniform verbally ill-behaved with me. I requested him to behave well when another home guard started beating me with a stick”, Purkayastha said. 

He went through a medical checkup on Saturday night at Silchar Civil Hospital and the on-duty doctors said that they found five severe injuries on Biswa Kalyan's body. 

Today (November 13) afternoon, Purkayastha lodged an FIR at Silchar Sadar Police Station and the police registered a case immediately after that. 

Superintendent of police of Cachar district, Numal Mahatta accompanied by additional SP Subrata Sen, and additional SP (crime) Kalyan Kumar Das rushed to Silchar Civil Hospital on Saturday (November 12) night to meet the injured journalist. 

he told the media that providing security to the journalists is one of their priorities. “We have instructions from the chief minister to provide adequate security to the journalists. We are taking proper steps so that these kinds of incidents never happen again”, he said. 

According to the sources of Cachar police, the accused home guard identified as S Deb has been detained and has been suspended from his post as well.

An official from the Ghungoor police outpost said that the accused has been identified and he was detained on Saturday night. "We are investigating the matter and appropriate actions will be taken against him," the official said. 

There have been complaints against SMCH for misbehaviors by doctors and other staff. A week back, a doctor allegedly kicked a pregnant woman and the family members attacked them.