Journalists

West Bengal

HRDA has issued an urgent appeal to the National Human Rights Commission of India on 20 April regarding the inaction of the West Bengal police while journalists were assaulted, stripped and forcibly undressed by the supporters and cadres of political parties in Kolkata, West Bengal.

Mr. Biplab Mondal - Photo Journalist, The Times of India.

Mr. Bhaskar Mukherjee - Journalist with a Bengali daily, Bartaman.

Mr. Manas Chatterjee - Journalist, ETV Bangla.

On April 9, 2018, the journalists were covering an incidence of violence in Alipore, Kolkata. The violent mob suddenly started attacking the journalists who were recording with their cameras the attacks and clashes between supporters of political parties. The mob started thrashing the journalists, their clothes were torn and they were stripped. Their cameras were damaged.

Mr. Biplab Mondal, while refusing to delete the videos and photos, had to face the assault as the mob forcibly deleted all the video and photos from the mobile phones and cameras of other journalists.   

While they tried to snatch the camera of Mr. Manas Chatterjee, he resisted and was attacked brutally. There were reports of violence and attacks of similar kind in other districts like Murshidabad. Though the journalists and media houses have complained to the police about the brutal attacks on journalists, the police did not take any action on the matter.