Karnataka - Mysore   

Private radio station targeted for playing Hindi songs

— PHOTO: M.A. SRIRAM

Damaged: Office of 93.5 S FM in Mysore under attack on Saturday.

MYSORE: Kannada activists ransacked office of a private radio station in Mysore on Saturday and forced the management to suspend airing of Hindi songs.

About 30 people, who had gathered in front of the office of 93.5 S FM radio station to protest against the airing of Hindi songs on Saturday morning, barged into the premises and damaged furniture, computers and other equipment.

The activists broke through a police cordon and attacked private security personnel guarding the radio station located on the second floor of a commercial building on Jayalakshmi Vilas Road.

Raghu, a private security guard, was injured in the attack. He was taken to a hospital for treatment.

The activists allegedly abused the staff members of the station and pushed them around. “It was mayhem for about half an hour. They damaged two glass doors, several computers, scanners, printers, an aquarium, chairs, tables, telephones and other equipment in the office,” Station Head Abhinanth Kumar told The Hindu.

“There were four staff members in the station at the time of the attack. A programme co-ordinator, a producer and a radio jockey, all women, besides a male sound engineer were manhandled by the activists,” he said.

The station belongs to Sun Network. “Eighty per cent of our programme content is in Kannada. Only 20 per cent is in Hindi. The activists barged into the office and threatened the staff for playing Hindi songs,” Mr. Abhinanth Kumar.

The management suspended airing of Hindi songs after the attack.

The activists had called up television news crew and photo journalists earlier in the day to inform them that they were staging a protest in front of the radio station.

Two policemen were also posted at the spot.

However, when the media persons turned up at the venue, the activists broke through the security cordon and barged into the radio station.

The management of the station has lodged a complaint with the Lakshmipuram police accusing Mohan Kumar Gowda of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike and 25 others of attacking the station.

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