Police beat me to avenge story against them: Kerala journalist Gopalan

Varkala: Journalist Sajeev Gopalan who was allegedly beaten up by two police personnel at his house on Sunday night, on Tuesday said, "They (police officers) were taking revenge for a story I have done exposing their fault."

Gopalan, a journalist of a regional Malayalam daily, was allegedly manhandled by the police at Varkala in Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala, the latest in a series of attack on media persons across the country.

The assualt on Gopalan had triggered protests from media fraternity.

Gopalan, local correspondent of Kerala Kaumudi, was admitted to a private hospital in Varkala with injuries.

Earlier, his family members alleged that the journalist had recently published a news item on the abduction of a girl and the alleged involvement of some police officials in protecting the accused.

The incident took place when Gopalan was standing in front of his house to see off his two friends who had come for dinner.

Thiruvananthapuram district unit of Kerala Union of Working Journalists condemned the incident and submitted a memorandum to DGP Loknath Behera seeking speedy action.

With agency inputs.