Several journalists were injured in clashes with the police during the Left protest in Kolkata
Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajiv Kumar has asked for 10 days to investigate the attack on journalists during a Left protest in the city on Monday after journalists held a protest march last evening. At least 15 media persons were injured when police caned them during the protest.
Mr Rajiv Kumar also said the idea of a jacket for media persons identifying them as bona fide could be explored as there may be a few "outsiders" posing as media.
"I will record the versions of all injured journalists and my officers present on the spot and find out what happened," he said.
Mr Kumar met journalists on Tuesday evening after they marched from Rabindra Sadan to the police headquarters, Lal Bazar. It was a silent protest with posters symbolising that the pen and video cameras are mightier than the sword and police uniforms.
"The attack was unprovoked. One policeman had abused a journalist. We demanded the policeman apologise. He refused to do so and police simply started a lathicharge, hitting us on the head," journalist Trayan Chakraborty said.
Another reporter, Sharmin Begum, said: "We saw the senior NDTV camera person being assaulted and ran to his rescue. Another reporter also ran with me. But we were surrounded by women cops who, I am sorry to say, assaulted me most shamelessly."
The media has demanded an apology from the Kolkata Police and action against errant policemen. There were several officers present at the spot on Monday near the Gandhi statue where the lathicharge took place. "Not only did the officers do nothing to control their men, some even ordered the action," said a reporter.