Guwahati: Tripura witnessed unprecedented violence after a bunch of alleged BJP leaders and workers tore through the office of Pratibadi Kalam, a vernacular daily, and injured at least four journalists, besides damaging property and burning down vehicles.
Ransacking the premises of the daily in Agartala, they destroyed equipment, documents, and set cars and bikes ablaze, according to a police case filed by Anal Roy Chowdhury, Editor and Publisher of Pratibadi Kalam.
At about 4.30 pm a mob of 200-300 BJP workers led by party’s state leaders to stormed into the Newspaper office of ‘Pratibadi Kalam’ and vandalised. The goons unleashed terror for about 30 minutes and beaten up its reporter Prasrnjt Roy. @PMOIndia@HMOIndiapic.twitter.com/zHbB21D6OA
Reports also some offices of the CPM being set on afire. Union Minister Pratima Bhoumik had today led a procession in Kathalia in West Tripura district, according to ANI.
“I have come to know that our local committee office, which was locked for over 2.5 years, has been damaged and attacked. Our vehicles were vandalised, one vehicle was set on fire,” the CPM’s Bijan Dhar told ANI.
The violence followed a BJP rally and was reportedly carried out by the state ruling party’s workers as well as leaders.
“At least four Journalists were injured in the attack. All papers and documents, computers and CCTV cameras were destroyed while a huge contingent of police remained as silent spectators. The police did nothing,” the FIR says.
“The goons were armed with lathis and sharp cutting deadly weapons and one of our journalists, namely Prasenjit Saha, was hit on the back of his head by a sharp cutting weapon injuring him seriously.”
Mr Chowdhury later told the media that such a dangerous, violent attack on a media office had never happened in Tripura.
Many media organisations and senior Journalists and editors, including Agartala Press Club Secretary Pranab Sarkar, visited the Pratibadi Kalam office and vehemently condemned the attack. They demanded the immediate arrest of those involved in the attack. NDTV
