Uproar in Kolkata after police brutally assault journalists
At least a dozen of journalists were beaten up by the police and some of their cameras were smashed.
In Short
- The Left hit the streets on Monday and paralysed city life.
- Journalists covering the march were brutally thrashed.
- A probe has been ordered into the matter.
Journalists covering the Left parties' protest march to the state secretariat were brutally assaulted on Monday. At least a dozen of journalists were beaten up by the police and some of their cameras were smashed.
Footage shot by video journalists show how journalists were abused, intimidated and thrashed brutally after Kolkata police officers including Deputy Commissioner (STF) Murli Dhar Sharma and ADCP Aparajita Rai entered into a verbal spat with the media persons near the Kolkata Press Club.
Some images also reveal how media persons were beaten up with lathis by men who were not in police uniforms.
When confronted with reports of police atrocity on the media, Kolkata Police Joint Commissioner (HQ) Supratim Sarkar assured that a probe had been ordered into the matter.
"Any assault on media persons is extremely unfortunate. We have received some complaints and some have even shared the footage with us. We shall identify those officers who indulged in such acts and action will be taken," informed Sarkar.
Condemning the assault, opposition parties have hit out at the Mamata Banerjee administration. "This would not have been possible without the directions of the chief minister. I saw journalists being beaten up before my eyes. I condemn such an attack," said CPI (M) State Secretary Surjya Kanta Mishra.
Reacting to the incident, BJP leader Rahul Sinha has said that his party will demand a judicial probe into the incident.
However, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who holds the home department portfolio remains silent on the matter. Instead, on Tuesday morning, Banerjee reacted on the Manchester blast in UK and tweeted, "Saddened with the sad news about innocent lives lost in Manchester blast. These terror attacks are acts of cowards."
MASSIVE KOLKATA RALLY
The Left party, being considered as irrelevant in West Bengal politics in the wake of BJP's muscle-flexing, hit the streets yesterday and paralysed city life for some four hours in their attempt to show that the party was not out of the political map of Bengal, at least not yet.
Among those, who had written off the Left, was chief minister Mamata Banerjee. She had deliberately planned an administrative meeting in Birbhum district on the day of "Nabanna March", taking in tow with her the chief secretary and the home secretary, leaving the state secretariat completely on its own and to fend for itself.
Her lack of seriousness and concern was revealed when she was found crooning with the students of Viswa Bharati when asked for a reaction on the police action on the Left agitators.
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