Miscreants allegedly sheltered by a political party attacked media person Rahul Das at Teliamura in Tripura on May 3 last and left Das critically injured. Condemning the attack, Leaders of the Forum for Development and Protection of Media Community (FDPMC) termed the assault as ‘barbaric’. FDPMC demanded custodial trial of the accused persons and enforcing NSA in this case.
Addressing a press meet, FDPMC Convenor Sebak Bhattacharjee said this in Agartala Press Club on Thursday. He was flanked by FDPMC president Jayanta Bhattacharjee and Agartala Press Club Secretary Pranab Sarkar.
FDPMC leaders presented victim, Rahul Das, at a press conference in Agartala today after he arrived in Agartala for better treatment. Narrating the incident, Das said, he was attacked by supporters of a particular party on May 3 while he was returning home from work. Miscreants thrashed Das injuring him grievously. His wound marks on his back bore, apparently, resemblance with a sickle and hammer sign. The Media fraternity of Teliamura staged a dharna in front of Teliamura PS demanding arrests of the culprits. As no one was arrested, FDPMC leaders rushed Teliamura and staged a demonstration in front of Teliamura PS on Wednesday. Later Police arrested six persons in connection with the brutal attack on Rahul Das.
For better treatment, Rahul Das was admitted in GB Hospital after the press conference and FDPMC leaders consulted with doctors to assess his health condition Rahul.
Taking a serious note on the attack on a media person, FDPMC leaders raised two-point demand. They demanded “since a media person fell victim to an unprecedented assault, the accused persons mentioned in the FIR must be prosecuted through custodial trial. Otherwise, the miscreants may resort to threats to undermine the prosecution”.
The forum also demanded enforcing NSA in this case in view of an unprecedented and brutal assault on a member of the ‘fourth pillar’ of democracy.