Fresh trouble in Kozhikode: Journos detained again, SI suspended

In a dramatic turn of events, the police have once again detained four members of Asianet News team at Kozhikode Town police station. The development came when the team visited the station on Saturday afternoon to get the DSNG vehicle released. 

The scribes were waiting outside the station when the policemen dragged them inside and assaulted them.

It is learned that Kozhikode Town Sub Inspector Vimod, who was temporarily discharged from duty following the morning incident, assaulted the pressmen. The policemen locked their grill and barred media persons outside the station from taking any visuals.

Though the earlier issue was resolved to an extent in the morning by the city police commissioner, the fresh incident has made matters worse. 

Journos besieged the police station and staged in a sit-in demanding the release of journalists in custody.

According to latest reports coming in, state police chief Loknath Behera has ordered the suspension of Sub Inspector Vimod. 

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has ordered an inquiry into the police action.

Asianet News Kozhikode bureau chief Binu Raj, cameraman Abhilash,  DSNG engineer Arun and driver Jayaprakash were taken into custody by police on Saturday morning when the team came to Kozhikode district court to cover the sensational Kozhikode ice cream parlour case. 

Though the police initially said that they were acting upon the district judge's order not to allow press inside court, their stand proved false when the judge himself clarified that he had not barred media from court and only ordered to strengthen the security inside the court as Maoist leader Roopesh was supposed to be brought there for trial.

• Kozhikode police station
• Journalists taken into custody
• Asianet News