JORABAT, April 12 - Dipak Deka, a local journalist from Sonapur working for private television news channel Assam Talks, was brutally assaulted by CRPF personnel of 128 Bn in Sonapur last night when he was capturing visuals of late night polling at a booth. The CRPF personnel were allegedly drunk and used slang language.
The Dimoria Journalists� Union, Jorabat Journalists� Union, Journalist Federation of Assam (JAFA) and the Assam Sangrami Yuva Satra Santha have condemned the CRPF brutality.
The Dimoria Journalists� Union and Jorabat Journalists� Union today jointly submitted memorandums to the Deputy Commissioner of East Kamrup district Rajendra Nath Gogoi and Superintendent of Police of East Kamrup Police district Manmohan Boro. The journalist bodies warned of a vigorous agitation if the police and administration do not take strict action against the guilty CRPF personnel within 72 hours.
The members of the journalist bodies also wore black badges today in protest against the CRPF act.
Pankaj Deka of the JAFA said that such acts are seriously harming the freedom of the Press in the region and the State.
He said that even though Dipak Deka repeatedly said he was a journalist and even showed his logo bearing the microphone and identity card, he was brutally beaten and dragged along the ground by the CRPF personnel. He wondered how such an act could take place when the OC of Sonapur Police Station was present on spot while the incident took place.
The DC and the SP have assured the journalists that an inquiry has been initiated into the matter and the culprits would soon be caught.
