Attacks on journalists unabated

HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE

KATHMANDU: Attacks on journalists and media houses continued unabated on the second day of the three-day nationwide shutdown enforced by Indigenous Nationalities Joint Struggle Committee in different parts of the country, including the Capital today.

Irate shutdown enforcers attacked Rameswor Sapkota, Dharmendra Sapkota and camera person duo Pratikshya Sharma and Mukti Shrestha of Mountain Television and Ashok Tuladahar of Abhiyan Daily with iron rod while covering news at Gwarko Chowk in Lalitpur.

Tuladhar sustained serious injuries to his head due to the ruthless beating that he received.

Journalist Nawaraj Shrestha of News 24 was also manhandled by NEFIN activists at Gwarko, while he was on duty reporting the bandh.

The demonstrators also thrashed journalist Nirmal Oli of News 24 and vandalised a vehicle (Ba 7 Cha 4151) belonging to the Television.

The bandh enforcers also vandalised a scooter (Ba 34 Pa 4638) belonging to Pawan Barsha Shah, a reporter for Karobar Daily, at Dilli Bazaar, Kathmandu, while she was on the way to her office.

Issuing a press release today, the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) General Secretary Om Sharma called on the sides concerned to immediately mend their anti-democratic activities.

Sharma urged the government to pay special attention to the security of mediapersons and provide necessary arrangement for the treatment of injured journalists and compensation for the damage caused to press vehicles vandalised during the shutdown.

Meanwhile, taking up the same issue, the FNJ, Kathmandu Chapter submitted a memorandum to Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Bijay Kumar Gachhadar and drew his attention to the need to devise immediate special measures to stop attacks against journalists.