Mangalore: Police Say Attacks on Newspaper Offices Handiwork of Same Group
Pics by Spoorthy Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - RS / CN
Updates at 11.30pm, IST
Mangalore, Mar 2: The attacks on the offices of two newspapers in the city caused damage to several items on the premises including computers and furniture. Police confirmed that both acts were committed by the same group. Following the incidents, Section 144 has been clamped in the district for 48 hours.
At the ‘Kannada Prabha’ office, where the ‘Indian Express’ also has its office, the miscreants threw a petrol packet and a bottle filled with petrol which was ignited.
Kannada Prabha Office:
Jaya Kirana office :
As a result, a chair, four computers, and a printer and glass in the room were damaged. The fire was doused immediately by the firemen and this helped contain further damage.
A staff member said that there were more than 10 miscreants in the group and most of them had used cloth pieces as masks.
None of the staff were able to identify the miscreants as the office filled with smoke suddenly.
Almost all of the staff was present at the office and were busy preparing for the next day’s edition of the newspaper.
At the office of ‘Jaya Kirana’, the staff said that miscreants had thrown only the petrol packet but not ignited the fire.
One of the miscreants had an iron rod while the others ransacked the office. Four computers, glass of a chamber, and other items were damaged in the incident.
A staff member said that miscreants were wearing helmets and some had cloth masks.
Superintendent of police Dr A S Rao visited both the offices and said that both acts were committed by the same group.
He also said that there are clues about the identity of the miscreants and they will be apprehended soon.
Daijiworld Breaking News at 9.40pm, IST
Mangalore: Miscreants Attack ‘Kannada Prabha’, ‘Jaya Kirana’ Offices
Pics by Spoorthy Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network—Mangalore (CN)
Mangalore, Mar 2: The city office of Kannada daily newspaper ‘Kannada Prabha’, on the first floor of Ganesh Mahal, located on K S Rao Road, was reportedly attacked by miscreants at around 9.30 pm on Tuesday March 2.
While the office was still open, a group of about 6-7 miscreants, four of them in masks, rushed in and dropped some kind of fire bomb which resulted in smoke within the office.
The office staff present inside were rescued without anyone suffering injury. The heavy smoke and fire damaged office equipment and computers.
Police rushed to the spot and the firemen also reached the venue within minutes. The situation is now under control.
The miscreants fled the place and the police are hunting for them.
Another group of masked miscreants allegedly attempted to attack the city-based evening daily ‘Jaya Kirana’ simultaneously. Further updates are awaited.
It can be recalled that a translated article by Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen on ‘Burqa’, published by Kannada Prabha, had led to violence in Shimoga and Hassan.
The violence left two people dead and several injured besides causing damage to property running into millions of rupees.
Taslima had later stated that her article was distorted in order to slander her.