Amrita TV Chief Executive Editor Neelan was attacked by some miscreants, purportedly for airing a programme on increasing ''goonda'' attacks in the capital. Neelan was attacked last night in front of the state secretariat on his way home.
He was admitted to a private hospital here with head injuries, Amrita TV said. He had received several threats after ''Ullarakal'', a programme based on ''goondas'' in the city was aired.
The Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ) and several political parties condemned the attack and called for stringent action to contain such ''untoward incidents'' against newspersons in the state. The KUWJ demanded the immediate arrest of the miscreants involved in the incident and submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister.
The Communist Party of India (CPI) condemned the attack and asked for stringent action against the culprits. The attack on mediapersons were on the increase, it said and asked for measures to curtail attacks in the future.
Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, after the Cabinet meeting today, assured that ''goonda'' activities would be suppressed at all cost and the Goondas Bill would be introduced in the next Assembly session. CPI national secretary D Raja, KUWJ state president C Gowridasan Nair visited the hospital.
A case has been registered and investigations were on.
