The Hindu : National : SFI activists attack 3 journalists

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Thursday, Jun 26, 2008
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SFI activists attack 3 journalists

Staff Reporter

KOTTAYAM: A march by the Students Federation of India here on Wednesday turned violent with the activists brutally attacking three journalists.

The march was against recent violent protests by UDF-affiliated organisations, demanding the withdrawal of a school textbook.

Pradeep Joseph, reporter, Manorama News; Arun John, reporter, Malayala Manorama; and Nishad Kurien, photographer, were beaten up. They were admitted to the Government Medical College Hospital here.

It all started when the march to the Collectorate reached the Kottayam District Hospital. SFI activists, on seeing Youth Congress leader Jayji Palackalodi, who led the Youth Congress protest march on Tuesday, started chasing him.

When the activists saw Mr. Joseph of Manorama News, they chased him too through K.K. Road and pelted stones at him. Mr. Joseph took refuge in a police jeep, but he was pulled outside and beaten up brutally. He suffered serious injuries in the right eye and bruises all over the body.

Mr. John and Mr. Kurien, who reached spot, were also beaten up by SFI activists. The three then ran to safety and reached their office. The SFI activists then pelted stones at the office building and broke windowpanes. The police soon arrived and chased away the SFI activists.

Superintendent of Police Mathew Policarp said 10 persons were arrested.

Jos Panachipuram, Associate Editor, Malayala Manorama, said the attack was an unprecedented incident and alleged that there was every reason to believe that it was planned.

“This only reflects the intolerance against dissent,” he said.

Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan told journalists in Thiruvananthapuram that the attack was deplorable.

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