(FNJ/IFEX) – Police personnel brutally beat four journalists in Boudha on 10 April 2006 at around 5 p.m. (local time). The victims of the attack were Balram Baniya, FNJ secretary, as well as Editor Akhilesh Tripathi, Assistant Senior Sub-editor Gopal Khanal and reporter Ekindra Kunwar, all of the newspaper “Kantipur”. The incident took place when […]
(FNJ/IFEX) – Police personnel brutally beat four journalists in Boudha on 10 April 2006 at around 5 p.m. (local time).
The victims of the attack were Balram Baniya, FNJ secretary, as well as Editor Akhilesh Tripathi, Assistant Senior Sub-editor Gopal Khanal and reporter Ekindra Kunwar, all of the newspaper “Kantipur”.
The incident took place when the journalists arrived at the scene of demonstrations organized by Seven Party Alliance (SPA).They were deliberately singled out and targeted by policemen once the latter realized that the journalists were from “Kantipur”.
In a frenzied attack, over a dozen policemen surrounded the four journalists and systematically beat them with batons while verbally abusing them, even as the journalists showed their press cards.
When asked for help, a sub-inspector of the police, who was apparently leading the policemen’s attack, was heard to say: “Hit them, but not on the head”.
The police broke nearly half-a-dozen batons while striking the journalists on their arms, backs and legs. Police also hurled a stone at photojournalist Saligram Tiwari.
The attackers were deployed under the command of Officer Keshev Bahadur Shahi.
The journalists were later treated for massive bruising of the back, arms and legs at the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in Maharajgunj.
In another incident on the same day, Om Prakash Upadhyaya, “Himalayan Times” correspondent for Parbat District, was brutally beaten by security personnel while performing his journalistic duties. Police did not spare him even though he flashed his press identity card. He is being treated at Parbat District Hospital.
In yet another incident on 10 April, police severely beat D R Pant, an FNJ vice-president and “Kantipur” reporter, while he was covering a protest demonstration in the Dadeldhura bazaar in Tufandanda. Police took him under control, systematically beat him and snatched away his camera. Panta was later treated for severe bruising.
Bishnu Nisthuri, the president of the FNJ, strongly condemned the attack on journalists in a press release. He has also demanded that immediate action be taken to punish the guilty.