Journalists condemn assault on media

New Delhi, Sep 11 (IANS) The Press Club of India on Monday condemned the police assault on reporters and cameramen while the latter were covering the protest by parents against the Ryan International School in Gurugram on Sunday over a seven-year-old's murder inside the premises last week.

In a statement here, the journalists body said it strongly condemned "the brutal assault and lathicharge on mediapersons by the Gurugram police while they were on duty covering the protest by enraged parents...."

"At least half a dozen reporters, photojournalists and news camerapersons sustained injuries in the lathicharge. Many video cameras, belonging to ANI and Total TV, were smashed by the police for which there was no provocation," it said.

The Press Club of India said the media was "only discharging its duty, covering the protest outside the school" and added that the lathicharge targeting the mediapersons "was uncalled for and unprovoked".

At least 50 people, including nine scribes and photo journalists, were injured when police baton-charged a group of people protesting the brutal murder of Pradhuman Thakur and demanded action against the school management.

The Club demanded an "impartial inquiry into the incident and fixing of accountability for it".

It also asked for adequate compensation to the injured mediapersons for their injuries and damage caused to their equipment.

On September 8, Pradhuman was found with his throat slit inside the washroom of the school located in Bhondsi on Sohna Road.

Inspector Arun Kumar, chief of Sohna police station, was suspended on Monday for using force against journalists for "his lapse in duties", a senior Haryana government official said.