The Indian newspaper society (INS) and Editors Guild of India on Wednesday condemned the attack on three journalists and the office of Malayala Manorama in Kerala allegedly by SFI activists and asked the state government to take strong action against the guilty, says a Press Trust of India (PTI) report.
In a statement, INS president Bahubali S Shah said the three journalists and a driver were attacked in Kottayam when they were on duty. Giving details of the incident, Shah said some SFI activists allegedly thrashed Pradeep Joseph, a reporter of Manorama News, a leading Malayalam news channel, when he was covering a March by the student body.
When Joseph took refuge inside a police jeep, the activists allegedly surrounded the jeep, pulled him out and further beat him up. As the news of attack on Joseph spread, two Malayala Manorama journalists—Arun John and Nishad Kurien—rushed to the spot but both of them were also beaten up and chased into their office, Shah said.
The attackers then pelted stones at the office of Malayala Manorama, breaking glass panes. Though police reached the spot, they could arrest just four of the attackers, he said. “INS expects the Kerala government to take strict exemplary action against the perpetrators and ensure that an atmosphere is created for mediapersons to perform their duties.
