Police lathi-charge journalists covering a rally in Kolkata

The anger of journalists in Kolkata is snowballing as reporters and photojournalists have carried out a peace rally from Rabindra Sadan to Lalbazar to protest a police attack on them on Monday, May 22, 2017. The Kolkata Police had resorted to a lathi-charge on Sunday, May 21, 2017 during a Communist Party of India – Marxist rally, “Nabanna Abhijan” in the heart of the city.

More than two dozen journalists were injured in the incident, some seriously. Some policemen who were involved in the lathi-charge were also injured as angry Left Front supporters chased and beat them up. The police first resorted to lathi-charge the Left Front supporters and initially some journalists got caught in the crossfire. But later, according to reporters there, the police targeted them. It is yet to be ascertained what made the police attack journalists.

Following Monday’s protest rally, journalists have given a deputation to the Commissioner of POlice Rajiv Kumar asking him to take stern action against the officers who resorted to lathi-charge without any provocation. In the deputation, the journalists have also asked Kumar to examine the CCTV footage to identify the senior officers who ordered the lathi-charge.

Journalists also used Twitter to broadcast the rally live:

The Commissioner of Police has ensured that his department would probe the matter.

The deputation has also mentioned names of some of the senior IPS officers who were involved in “both verbal and physical abuse.” It mentions that Vineet Goel – IPS, Murlidhar Sharma – IPS, Bholanath Pande – IPS, Aparajitha Rai – IPS and Prabir Dam “were present on the spot”.

Journalists alleged that even women journalists were not spared. Senior NDTV reporter Manidipa Banerjee was manhandled along with her cameraperson. Some women reporters even alleged that police made lewd remarks.

Calcutta News TV reporter, Pritha Dasgupta was admitted to hospital along with some other journalists. Ranai Tiwari, journalist of a popular Bengali-language newspaper, who was present during yesterday’s rally said that police started attacking the journalists without any provocation and abused women reporters and manhandled them. Aveek Banerjee, another reporter, who took part in the rally has also condemned the police action against journalists and demanded a through probe.

Various opposition party leaders also condemned the incident and met the West Bengal Governor to register their complaint. Abdul Mannan, senior Congress Party leader, said: “Journalists have gone there to collect news and such an attack is highly condemnable.”

By May 24 morning, reporters and photo-journalists from most media houses in Kolkata took to the social networking sites to criticise the police and the government. Soon after the incident, Additional Commissioner of Police, Supratim Sarkar held a press conference and said that the city police would probe the matter and did express grief over the incident. However, an officer of the police said, on condition of anonymity, that the senior officers did not apprehend that this would backfire or blow up in this manner. The Commissioner of Police has proposed to give a Press Jacket to reporters and camera persons to wear during coverage of law and order programmes. He said this when senior journalists went to submit the deputation.

However, several journalists have expressed their anger at the silence of the Press Club of Kolkata. Several district associations of journalists have written a letter to Chief Minister Mamata Bannerjee criticising the attack on journalists. Even Paschim Midnapore Police has published a banner supporting the journalists.

Whether any action will be taken against the police concerned is yet to be seen. But what is required is that the police be far more vigilant and restrained during political rallies to ensure such an incident is avoided in future.