GUWAHATI: The arrest of Dilwar Hussain Mozumder, a senior journalist, has triggered massive outrage after police denied entry to journalists and his lawyer at Panbazar Police Station in Guwahati, Assam.
The police also seized Mozumder's mobile phone, cutting off all communication during his detention. The Guwahati Press Club strongly condemned the incident, demanding Mozumder's immediate release.
President Sushmita Goswami and General Secretary Sanjay Ray stated that the detention of a journalist for performing his duty is "deeply concerning" and urged authorities to uphold press freedom.
Mozumder was detained after questioning Apex Bank's Managing Director Dambaru Saikia during a protest outside the bank's headquarters. He was covering a demonstration by Jatiya Yuva Shakti against alleged corruption within Apex Bank.
Instead of addressing Mozumder's queries, bank officials called the police, leading to his detention and arrest later around midnight on Tuesday. The incident has drawn sharp criticism from the media fraternity, with many viewing it as an attempt to intimidate journalists.
Mozumder is now at the centre of a growing demand for press freedom and accountability from police. Media bodies and civil rights groups are seeking transparency in the police's actions, raising concerns over the safety of journalists in Assam.
Police said that he was arrested under 351(2) UNS R/W Section 3[1](r) Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 (Amendment 2015).
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