Unknown assailants attack “Hamro Prajashakti” Office seven journalists grievously injured
Posted by barunroy on July 6, 2008
GANGTOK, July 04: A group of masked men in black leather jackets and armed with hammers and iron rods entered the office of “Hamro Prajashakti” around 8:30 pm today evening and attacked the journalists present in its office in Gairi Gaon, Tadong. Seven journalists associated with the Nepali daily, Hamro Prajashakti and Himalayan Mirror, an English daily were seriously injured in the attack. The injured include Editor and Publisher of Hamro Prajashakti and Himalayan Mirror, Anjan Upadhaya and reporters and office staff. [Inset: An injured scribe being treated. Photo by Sikkim Express]
Shekhar Khawas, Bijay Gurung, Pavitra Bhandari, Anup Rai, Thakur Subedi and Raj Kumar, were present in the office during the time of the attack. All the injured persons were rushed to the Sir Thutob Namgyal Memorial (STNM) Hospital and were undergoing medical treatment at the time of going to press. [Inset 2: The office of the Hamro Prajashakti after being ransacked. Photo by Sikkim Express]
Office equipment including computers were also damaged by the unknown assailants. The cause of this attack is yet to be ascertained. An FIR has been lodged by Mr Upadhaya at the Sadar Thana here this evening. The Press Club of Sikkim has strongly condemned this lethal attack on local media. Bhim Rawat, general secretary of the Press Club said that the incident was a big blow to democracy in the State. “Today is indeed a sad day for journalism in Sikkim. This cowardly act has totally crushed the freedom of Press in the State,” he said.
All working journalists of the State have demanded the immediate arrest of the assailants. The journalists have called for a pen down strike until and unless the culprits are arrested, Mr Rawat said.
barunroy said
This cowardly and disgraceful attack at a newspaper office, where journalists were wounded is forcefully condemned by The Himalayan Beacon(Beacon Online. A FREE PRESS is the basis on which democracy survives, threat to it will lead to social disintegration in the society. The Chief Minister of Sikkim, Dr. Pawan Chamling is requested to see to it that the culprits are brought to bear as soon as possible.
Yours faithfully,
Barun
PPA said
And suddenly Sikkim is not such a safe place to live. Please find these assailants – for the sake of Sikkim, for the sake of the freedom of the press, for the sake of our futures. The Sikkim Police is an extraordinary force adept at performing their duties. I hope they will not let us down – I m sure there are finger prints, eyewitness reports etc…. Gairi Gaon is quite a densely polulated area – someone surely must have seen these miscreants. They have to be brought to task and punished severely so this is not repeated. What will be next? Security personel for jouralists? The press Society and the IPR Department should take this matter very very seriously. We cannot let anarchy reign in peaceful Sikkim. Sikkim is so small and with so few people – I am sure they will get caught soon. Its such an incredibly cowardly act.