The Hindu

Mangalore, Mar 4: The attack on the offices of the Kannada dailies late on Tuesday was a meticulously planned operation said Superintendent of Police A.S. Rao. Addressing presspersons on Wednesday, he said that the attackers had taken care to cover their tracks by using counterfeit number plates on their getaway vehicles.

The discovery was made after the police verified the vehicle registration numbers given to them by some alert eyewitnesses, who managed to note down the numbers of a two-wheeler and an autorickshaw used by the fleeing attackers, Mr. Rao said. When verified, the numbers were found to belong to people completely unconnected with the nature of the crime. He also said that special teams have been set up to investigate the case.

The district police also invited the administrative heads and journalists of all the newspapers and TV channels for a discussion. The meeting, which was presided over by the Inspector-General of Police (Western Range) Gopal B. Hosur, delved into the possible security upgrades at media houses. Amid concerns raised by presspersons and management staff of media organisations, Mr. Hosur said that all police stations have been instructed to watch over media offices in their jurisdiction.

Later, the Dakshina Kannada Working Journalists' Union met Mr. Hosur and Mr. Rao and submitted memorandums condemning the attacks on the “freedom of the press”. In the memorandum, the union also expressed concern over the “alarming” increase in the number of attacks on journalists and media organisations in the recent past.