*Reporters assaulted at Assam University, Silchar for covering students’
agitation <http://bhrpc.wordpress.com/2011/03/03/336/>*
Barak Human Rights Protection Committee (BHRPC) has received information
regarding an incident of assault on reporters at the Assam University campus
at Silchar on 25 February 2011. It is reported that the assault was carried
out by the security guards led by the proctor of the university Mr.
Manabendra Dutta Choudhury and dean, students welfare Mr. Ramendu
Bhattacharjee allegedly for covering agitation of the students. The scribes
sustained grievous injuries and their laptops and cameras were snatched away
and destroyed.
According to information received by the BHRPC, a group of reporters and
cameramen mainly belonging to Guwahati-based private television channels
(namely NE TV, News Time Assam, DY365 and Frontier TV News) reached the
university campus with their laptops, cameras and other equipments at about
12 noon on 25 February to report demonstration of students.
Hostel boarders of the university were observing hunger strike and resorted
to blockade at the main gate of the campus demanding immediate uninterrupted
water supply. Ratan Das, general secretary of Assam University Students’
Council told that drinking water crisis in the hostel was acute for a long
time. Even there was scarcity of toilets. Students had been demanding for
permanent solution, but the authority turned a deaf ear to it, he alleged.
According to the information, reporters had taken footage of the students’
agitation before they were attacked. At about 12.30 pm the proctor of the
university Mr. Manabendra Dutta Choudhury and Dean, Students Welfare Mr.
Ramendu Bhattacharjee arrived while the scribes were sending the news
through their laptops. The proctor started hurling verbal abuse at the
journalists and demanded them to stop sending the footages. The journalists
tried to talk to him, but the proctor got furious and started beating them.
The security guards accompanying him also joined him.
According to Mr. Anath Bandhu Nandi (Arup), one of the injured reporters,
Mr. Manabendra Dutta Choudhury first kicked at a laptop and then the guards
jumped on them. At the behest of the proctor and the dean, the security
guards kicked, punched and beat the journalists mercilessly. They snatched 3
laptops and 2 cameras destroyed them.
A group of agitating students rescued the injured scribes. Mr. Samin Sen
Deka of News Time Assam, Mr. Anath Bandhu Nandi (Arup) of DY 365, Mr. Paplu
Das and Mr. Anupam Mandal of Frontier TV News, and Mr. Bibhuti Majumdar of
NE TV sustained injuries. Mr. Samin Sen Deka was sent to the Silchar Medical
College and Hospital due to the serious nature of his injury and others were
treated at the primary health centre at the university campus.
The reporters later filed a complaint at Silchar Sadar Police Station, which
is registered as Silchar PS Case No. 285/11. The complaint named Mr.
Manabendra Dutta Choudhury and Mr. Ramendu Bhattacharjee and security guards
as accused.
It is also reported that the university authority did not allow the entry
and reading of the Dainik Samayik Prasanga, a local daily newspaper inside
the campus. This is an undemocratic and authoritarian attempt at stopping
outside information from coming to the hostel boarders of the university
coupled with the attempt of stopping flow of information from the university
as evident from the assault on the reporters. It seems that the authority of
the university are flouting law of the land and behaving as law unto
themselves.
BHRPC thinks that the information reveals a *prima facie* case of offences
of ‘voluntarily causing grievous hurt’, ‘theft of equipments’ and ‘criminal
intimidation’ by several persons under section 35, 379 and 506 read with
section 34 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860.
The information also reveals a *prima facie* case of violations of
fundamental rights of the reporters to freedom of speech and expression
under Article 19 (1) (a) of the constitution of India and the right to
practice profession of one’s choice guaranteed under Article 19 (1) (g) of
the constitution.
It is also a *prima facie* case of violations of human right ‘to freedom of
opinion and expression’ as enshrined in Article 19 of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the general assembly of the United
Nations in 1948. The right violated in this case is also guaranteed in
Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 1966
to which India is a state party. This covenant including this Article is a
part of the Human Rights Protection Act, 1993 by virtue of section 2 (1)
(d).
BHRPC also observes that the conduct of the university authority vis-a-vis
the grievances of the students and their peaceful protest is, to say the
least, authoritarian and undemocratic. The students were staging peaceful
protest and demonstration for adequate sanitary facility, adequate supply of
drinking water and other such basic amenities.
BHRPC wrote to the prime minister of India urging his personal intervention
for ensuring a prompt and objective investigation into the incident,
adequate security for the victims and witnesses, adequate compensation for
the victims, effective redress to the students of the university. BHRPC also
filed a complaint at the National Human Rights Commission.
*A*. *Names and addresses of the alleged victims:*
1. Mr. Samin Sen Deka (40yrs.), News Burea, Silchar, News Time Assam
S/o. Lt. Saneshar Deka
Jail Road, Near Normal School, Silchar -3, Assam
2. Bibhuti Mazumder, Silchar Correspondent, NE TV
S/o. Johorlal Mazumder
Khatal Road, Silchar, Assam
3. Anath Bandhu Nandi (Arup), Cameraman, Dy 365
S/o Lt. Bagaban Chandra Nandi
Radamadav Road, Silchar-1, Assam
4. Anupam Mandal, Reporter, Frontier TV
S/o. N.K. Mandal
Nataji Sarani, Batartal, Meherpur, Silchar-15, Assam
5. Paplu Das, Cameraman, Frontier TV
S/o Lt. Priti Bushan Das
Nikunja Bhawan opposite Drugasankar Patsala
Ambicapatty, Silchar-4, Assam
*B. Names and addresses of the alleged perpetrators/violators:*
1. Mr. Manabendra Dutta Choudhury,
Proctor, Assam University, Silchar
Dargakona, Cachar, Assam
2. Ramendu Bhattacharjee,
Dean, Students Welfare,
Assam University, Silchar
Dargakona, Cachar, Assam
3. Security guards working at the university and assaulted the
reporters
See the report at the BHRPC site: Reporters assaulted at Assam University,
Silchar for covering students’
agitation<http://bhrpc.wordpress.com/2011/03/03/336/>
View video of the incident: Students' agitation at Assam University, Silchar
on 25 February 2011 for hygienic sanitation facilities, adequate supply of
drinking water and internet connectivity
etc<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4lQ5PLMpkU>
and Reporters assaulted by officers and security guards of the Assam
University on 25 February, 2011 for covering the event at Assam University,
Silchar <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvUQug2Ywmo>
--
W A Laskar
Freelance Reporter and Human Rights Defender
with Barak Human Rights Protection Committee <http://bhrpc.wordpress.com/>,
http://bhrpc.wordpress.com
15, Panjabari Road, Darandha, Six Mile,
Guwahati-781037, Assam, India
Cell: +919401942234
Visit my blog <http://www.rightspeaks.blogspot.com/> at
www.rightspeaks.blogspot.com
Skype: rights.defender
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