Police confiscate equipment, assault journalist
KATHMANDU/June 6: Hadish Khudar, the bureau chief of the national daily Naya Patrika, was assaulted and had his equipment seized by the District Police Circle around 12 PM today (June 6) in Dhanusha of Madhesh province. Khudar was at the District Police Circle, Dhanusha, to report on protests involving 50 to 60 youths.
Madhesh province coordinator of Media Action Nepal, Khuddar is a seasoned journalist from Madhes province, working in national daily and reporting on various misdeeds and scandals of authorities. One of his investigative stories caused the resignation of various staff from Madhesh province Chief Minister Office.
Similarly, he wrote a few days ago an article about police misconduct against loan shark victims. It appears that the article irritated police, and today, they apprehended him and snatched his phone while he was recording and speaking with demonstrators. “Initially, a police officer snatched my phone, and later, when I told him that I am a working journalist, he recognized me and returned my phone,” Khuddar reported Media Action Nepal.
“However, just after a few minutes, Rupesh Kumar Yadav, another police officer, caught my neck on Inspector Nawaraj Khadka’s instructions, and another police officer charged batons from the back and dragged me 100 meters away from District Police Circle, Dhanusha,” he added.
Later, the police released him. According to Khuddar, his colleagues came and pressured police authorities to take appropriate action against these intolerable activities by security forces while a journalist was simply doing his job.
Media Action Nepal demands action against police authorities
Media Action Nepal strongly condemns the atrocities of authorities against journalist, despite the fact that the constitution ensures press freedom in various articles. “It is truly alarming that even renowned journalists like Hadish, who has dedicated his entire life to the press, are being mistreated by authorities,” said Laxman Datt Pant, Chairperson of Media Action Nepal.
“We strongly demand concrete actions, reparations for Hadish, and a formal apology from the authorities” Pant added.