The journos later got to know that he was the DRM, Lumding Division, Prem Ranjan Kumar
KRC TIMES Barak Valley Bureau
A formal complaint was lodged by Swadeep Hasamsa the correspondent of NE Live Dima Hasao along with senior journalist and Editor of Tribal Voice Anup Biswas against the Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) of Lumding Division under NF Railway on Tuesday, 30th April.
They informed that on Tuesday for news coverage they had to visit the spot where the restoration work between Jatinga Lampur and New Harangajao was going on and a good number of officials were camping there on Tuesday.
On the advice of senior officials, the journalists were asked to wait for the DRM to give any statement, as he was on site. Unfortunately, after some time a person with guards came and seeing the journalists there he began to shout and drove them out with un-parliamentary words.
The officer first tried to snatch the mobile phone then he instructed officials who forcibly snatched the journalists’ phone and deleted all the footage including their important files from the phone and in the scuffle, their phones also got damaged.
The journos later got to know that he was the DRM, Lumding Division, Prem Ranjan Kumar.
This incident was reported by the journalist concerned as a complaint to the General Manager NF Railways, Maligaon for obstructing the media by senior officials when the rail connectivity for Dima Hasao, Barak Valley, Tripura was disrupted and they were not allowed to report the progress of restoration work.
This incident of high-handedness and misbehaviour including intimidation by senior railway officials towards journalists has sparked strong condemnation across social strata.
Various organisations and media associations have come forward in support of the journalist and condemned the incident.
The matter is also reported to the Chairman, of the Press Council of India, New Delhi; the Chairman, of the Railway Board of India; the Chief Public Relations Office, Maligaon; The President/ Secretary, of Assam Working Journalist Union; Editor-in-chief, of North East Live; The President/ Secretary, of Haflong Press Club/ Dima Hasao Press Club and others.
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