Journalists in Bantwal, Mangalore condemn attack on scribe
Kishore B C Road
Daijiworld Media Network – Bantwal (EP)
Bantwal, Nov 28: Journalists and locals assembled in front of Vittal police station here on Thursday November 28 to protest against the brutal attack on journalist V T Prasad by a group.
Addressing the gathering, president of Bantwal journalists' union Mounesh Vishwakarma said that an attempt by communal forces on the life of a journalist who is compassionate towards difficulties in society regardless of caste or creed, and one who was concerned of the country, state, district, taluk and gram is condemnable.
He urged the police to arrest the people responsible for the attack. He said that the journalist only intended to build a house for a poor woman and sought contributions for it by publishing her story. He warned that the protest will be intensified if the culprits are not arrested and punished for the offence.
CITU leader Ramanna Vittal lamented that nobody was scared of Vittal police. "It appears that they (police) have joined hands with the culprits. The police are not arresting the people involved in the attack or thieves in Vittal area. A precarious situation has occurred in the area and citizens have to face impending dangers," he said.
Sesappa B K Bedrakadu, president of Dakshina Kannada dalit seva committee also urged for the arrest of the assaulters. Balakrishna Serkala of Kolnadu Salethoor of Hindu Hitarakshana Vedike said that the culprits could have been arrested but for the indifference of the police force.
Journalist Santhosh said that V T Prasad had been attacked as a revenge as he had done investigative journalism into illegal activities and underhand affairs. "What else can be the reason for the attack on the life of a journalist who was trying to help somebody?" he said, questioning the inefficiency of the police. He hoped that the unseen hands of those who support attacks on journalists would be exposed and their conspiracy hacked.
Journalists Vishnu Guptha Punacha, Hameed Kandak, Vishwanath Bantwal and social activists Rajendra Rai Bailuguthu also spoke on the occasion. Rathnadev Punjalkatte, secretary of journalists association at Bantwal, treasurer Sandeep Salian, Praveen Bolwar, Ajith Kumar, Siddik Kumbra, Kishore Peraje, Jyothiprakash Punacha, Nishanth Billampadav, Hameed Vittal, Latif Neralakatte, Aruna Vittal, C H Jayanth Vittal, Nagesh Basavanagudi, Devidas Shetty Palthaje and others were present.
Mangalore: Journalists submit memorandum to SP
Pics: Brijesh Garodi
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore
Mangalore, Nov 28: In connection to the brutal attack on a journalist of a Kannada evening daily on Wednesday November 27 at Madakkatte in Kolnad, Bantwal, a group of journalists today submitted a memorandum to SP Shantanu Sinha here on Thursday November 28.
The delegation of journalists also alleged that an aggressive fundamentalist group had carried out the attack. "The police department should conduct a proper probe into this matter and arrest the culprits involved in this gruesome task immediately. The attack was a result of grudge against the journalist’s active involvement in his field of work. The law against rape is being used as a tool to vilify journalists. Hence, the woman who filed the complaint should be subjected to counseling," they demanded.
Responding to this, SP Shantanu Sinha said, “We will surely take stringent action against the culprits. Already a case is registered under IPC section 307.”
On this occasion, the recorded audio of the incident was submitted as proof to the SP.
Reporters Rajesh, Tharanath Kapikad, Naveen Soorinje, Pushparaj Shetty, and others were present on this occasion.