GANGTOK, July 04: A group of masked men in black leather jackets armed with hammers and iron rods entered the office of “Hamro Prajashakti” around 8:30 pm today evening and attacked the journalists present in its office in Gairi Gaon, Tadong. Seven journalists associated with the Nepali daily, Hamro Prajashakti and Himalayan Mirror, an English daily were seriously injured in the attack. The injured include the Editor and Publisher of Hamro Prajashakti and Himalayan Mirror, Anjan Upadhaya and reporters and office staff.
Shekhar Khawas, Bijay Gurung, Pavitra Bhandari, Anup Rai, Thakur Subedi and Raj Kumar, were present in the office during the time of the attack. All the injured persons were rushed to the Sir Thutob Namgyal Memorial (STNM) Hospital and were undergoing medical treatment at the time of going to press. Office equipment including computers was also damaged by the unknown assailants. The cause of this attack is yet to be ascertained.
An FIR has been lodged by Mr Upadhaya at the Sadar Thana here this evening. The Press Club of Sikkim has strongly condemned this lethal attack on local media. Bhim Rawat, general secretary of the Press Club said that the incident was a big blow to democracy in the State. “Today is indeed a sad day for journalism in Sikkim. This cowardly act has totally crushed the freedom of the Press in the State,” he said.
All working journalists of the State have demanded the immediate arrest of the assailants. The journalists have called for a pen-down strike until and unless the culprits are arrested, Mr Rawat said.
pic: top(Himalayan darpan) others Sikkim Express.
http://www.sikkimexpress.com/topstories.htm
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