Media persons, including Asianet News senior reporter Shyamkumar, were roughed up by BJP workers in the premises of Ottappalam Judicial First Class Magistrate Court on Tuesday afternoon. The BJP men also threatened media persons while the police stood moot spectactors to the whole episode.
The journalists were standing outside the court where six BJP activists, including their local leaders, who were arrested in connection with a series of violence at Nellaya near Ottappalam, were produced before the court. The BJP workers objected recording the video of their leaders being taken to the court and attacked the journalists. The BJP men showered abuses on journalists and attacked them without any provocation.
Asianet News senior reporter Shyamkumar was badly beaten up. The BJP men also threatened the journalists and destroyed the video camera of a journalist. "We will finish you off," one shouted before leaving the scene on a motorbike.
The incident elicited sharp reactions and outrage. Political leaders, cutting across party lines, have condemned the incident. "Action must be taken against those who attacked media persons," said former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy
Calling the incident a shame on Kerala, state Congress chief VM Sudheeran condemned the attack on media.
CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said that the incident was a sign of increasing arrogance of the BJP in the state. "If this is the case when they got an MLA in the assembly, what would happen if they gain more strength," he exclaimed. He also demanded strict action against the miscreants.
