Tripura journalists demand action against police for alleged search at news channel editor’s house without warrant

The press statement issued by the club said that they informed the SP about the incident. If no action is taken against the alleged culprits, more journalists would join the protest movement in a democratic way, it said. The SP promised action within three days, they added.

Pranab Sarkar, secretary of Agartala press club; Sourajit Pal, secretary of Tripura Electronics Media Society; Sebak Bhattacharya, general secretary of FDPMC; Manish Acharjee, chief editor of Search India; Angshumoy Debbarma, president of Khumulwng press club; Ranjit Debbarma, secretary of Khumulwng press club and Haniph Ali, editor of Rising Tripura were among the delegates.

Jirania sub-divisional police officer Himadri Prasad refuted the allegation saying that no search was conducted in anyone’s house. “We asked a few persons related to a complaint of a missing vehicle but no search was done in anyone’s residence. However, we have not received any complaint regarding this matter so far, the official said.

According to Assembly of Journalists, a local media rights body, there were at least 39 cases of assaults of mediapersons in the last two years in Tripura.

While most of these involved a complaint filed with the police, no one was arrested over the incidents, the AoJ says.

The state also has a history of two journalists allegedly killed while on duty. Both cases are now being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The alleged house search comes on the heels of the arrest of a local television journalist, who was allegedly harassed and assaulted by the police in custody after he had gone to cover the motor fuel crisis in the state during the connectivity breakdown with Assam due to flood conditions recently.

In the case of a journalist’s arrest, sharp criticism and movement on the part of the scribes led to suspension and a departmental enquiry against an official.