Assault on journos condemned

HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE

PARASI: Various Nawalparasi-based organisations have today condemned the attack on Nawalparasi correspondent of The Himalayan Times Hari Sharma.

Sharma was thrashed by the bandh enforcers today at Basa in the district during bandh called by the Federation of Indigenous Nationalities.

After the incident, a group of journalists led by Nawalparasi chapter of Federation of Nepali Journalists chairperson Homraj Ranabhat submitted a memorandum at the Area Police Office and Area Administration Office demanding security for the journalists.

Issuing a separate press release, Nawalparasi chapter of Revolutionary Journalists, Press Chautari Nepal Nawalparasi and Press Union Nawalparasi condemned the attack on Sharma and demanded action against the guilty.

Baijanath Jaisawal, president of Nawalparasi chapter of Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Palhi Transport chairman, Nepali Congress Nawalparasi secretary Bishnu Lamichhane deplored the attack on journalist in the strongest terms and demanded stern action against the guilty.

In view of series of attack on journalists and vehicles affiliated with media houses, Chitawan chapter of Federation of Nepalese Journalists today issued 10-point directive and cautioned the mediapersons across the district.

Seven media persons were thrashed up in Morang and Sunsari today during the first day of three-day bandh enforced by the Federation of Indigenous Nationalities.

General public and mediapersons have condemned the assault on journalists and urged the bandh enforcers to maintain restrain and make the general strike peaceful.

Bandh enforcers wielding sticks and boulders had seized identity cards of the two journalists associated with the Itahari-based Namaste FM Suresh Ghimire and Ganesh Niraula at Gachhiyakhola of Morang. They held them for 15 minutes.

The victims said that a group of people led by the Sundarpur VDC chairman of Federation of Indigenous Nationalities Bhagawan Moktan had attacked them.

Meanwhile bandh organisers had vandalised the motorbikes belonging to general public at Hasposa in Sunsari and beat up them.

Bandh enforcers also vandalised a motorbike belonging to Makalu Television in Itahari. They held mediapersons Dhiraj Adhikary and Pradip Ghimire for half an hour. Similarly, bandh organisers beat up Damodar Guragain and Bijay Khumbu of Aujar Daily of Tarahara. Balkrishna Pokhrael of Morning Times was also assaulted in Tarahara.