Scribe assault: Waii assures action against police

From our correspondent

Itagar, Sept 21: Aruchal Pradesh Home minister Kumar Waii on Wednesday assured to take action against the two police personnel who on Tuesday assaulted a jourlist while he was on duty.

Mongpong tung, reporter with the Aruchal News 24X7 was on Tuesday assaulted by a policeman when he was covering the AAPSU bandh at Bank Tili area.

The assurance from Waii came when the State’s press fraternity, led by Aruchal Press Club (APC) president Chopa Cheda, Aruchal Pradesh Union of Working Jourlists (APUWJ) president Amar Sangno, and Aruchal Electronic Media Association (AEMA) president Mukul Pathak called on the minister at his office here on Wednesday, and submitted a representation demanding stringent action against the police personnel.

“I am well aware of the situation, and appropriate action will be taken against the jawans if they are found guilty,” said Waii.

He said departmental inquiry has already been initiated against the duo.

“The outcome of the inquiry will be communicated to the media fraternity by Thursday,” the minister said.

The press bodies have demanded strict and immediate departmental inquiry to be initiated into the matter. They have also requested the Home Minister to initiate steps to sensitize police personnel on maintaining a cordial relationship with media persons and the public, so that such incidents do not recur.

A policeman in civil dress, who was later identified as head constable Ravi Singh, stopped tung from covering the clash between security forces and the protesters and stched his press identity card along with his video camera, before hitting him.

Singh then handed over the ID card and the camera to another policeman, identified as sub-inspector AK Singh, who deleted all the footage from the camera.

Although the news channel had lodged an FIR in this regard, the Itagar police station is yet to register it.