Uttarakhand: The accused who attacked journalist Hem Bhatt have been arrested by the Dalanwala police. Hem Bhatt had filed a complaint at the Dalanwala police station stating that on February 6th, at around 5:50 PM, while he was going home from his office at JAI BHARAT TV, three unknown individuals verbally abused and physically assaulted him.
The report also states that the accused threatened to kill him for running a news story. The police have arrested two of the accused, and are searching for the third accused, Sameer, a resident of Mehuwala.
Details of the arrested accused:
- Mohd. Kaif, son of Samar Ahmed, resident of Gandhi Road, Kotwali Police Station, Dehradun district, age 21 years.
- Mohd. Tabish, son of Riyaz Ahmed, resident of Gandhi Road, Kotwali Police Station, Dehradun, age 20 years.
Journalists had demanded the arrest of the accused on social media, and the matter gained significant attention online. The police are still searching for the third accused, Sameer.
Journalist Anoop Nautiyal wrote on social media, “Hem Bhatt is a young, good, and public-spirited journalist. He lives in Dehradun. Yesterday, he was attacked by three young men because of his journalism. I condemn this attack. My demand and expectation are that Hem recovers soon, the police identify and arrest the perpetrators, and an investigation is conducted to determine who instigated the attack and why.”
Journalist Umakant Lakhera writes about the incident: “If the Dhami government’s police had jailed the so-called VHP/Bajrang Dal goons who spread unrest, communal violence, and anarchy in Kotdwar last week, neither they nor other criminals would have had the audacity to attack an honest journalist in broad daylight in Dehradun city! The attack on journalist Hem Bhatt, who runs an independent channel, is an act of cowardice.
This is a warning to all those journalists who are silent on this life-threatening attack or who think that speaking up might offend those in power! That’s why they are keeping quiet. Just think, if journalists themselves are not safe, how will the perpetrators who target ordinary citizens, women, and girls be caught!
All journalists in Dehradun and Uttarakhand should protest against this hooliganism and boycott reporting on government programs and news related to the Chief Minister! Whether it’s Kotdwar or any corner of the country, restricting media access is a sign of the system’s impotence. Any people or leaders who fear the media means they have committed some crime that they want to hide.”