Thiruvananthapuram: The BJP workers unleashed a reign of terror on journalists covering the hartal in several parts of the state on Thursday, resulting in injuries to many of them and damage to their cameras. The agitators destroyed the cameras of photo journalists Suneesh Kumar of UNI and Arun Mohan of Kerala Kaumudi worth Rs 1.5 lakh in the state capital. Jithin of Mathrubhumi-Online and Kamal Shankar of Indian Express also suffered minor injuries.
In Thrissur, two TV cameramen who were covering the protestors destroying the flex boards of the CPM in front of the general hospital on Swaraj Round were attacked. Cameraman Madhu Menon of Asianet was beaten by a bamboo pole. Jeevan TV cameraman K.M. Jithin was also attacked. One local journalist sustained serious injuries in his ears in the attack at Ottapalam. In Kottayam, photographers of two vernacular dailies, R.S. Gopan and Vishnu Prathap, were injured in stone- throwing by the BJP activists.
Digital camera of UNI lensman Suneesh was crushed by the agitated BJP activists during their protest rally to secretariat on Thursday. (Photo: Peethambaran Payyeri)
They also tried to manhandle two channel cameramen at Cherthala. The cameramen of Janam TV and Reporter TV also were attacked in Kozhikode. Condemning the incidents, the Kerala Union of Working Journalists demanded strong police action against the attackers. The political parties which unleashed the violence on journalists should also compensate the damage caused to cameras, union president P.A. Abdul Gafoor and general secretary C. Narayanan said in a statement.
