Unmasking the real mastermind behind the attack on local journalists “Seized masks displayed by Police not worn by the attackers”

MINGMA BHUTIA
GANGTOK, July 09: Even as Sikkim Police produced six suspects yesterday morning before the deadline set by the Press Club of Sikkim, journalists in the State are questioning the way the Police acted on the case.
Reacting over the display of five colourful plastic masks supposedly seized from the suspects along with drugs and knives to the journalists yesterday, some of the journalists here said that the Police failed to produce the weapons of offence-iron rods and hammers.
“I do not think that the masks, which were shown by the Police yesterday are the right ones,” Bijoy Gurung, Correspondent, United News of India (UNI) told SIKKIM EXPRESS.
He was seriously injured in the July 4 attack in the Hamro Prajashakti office.
He said that the person who attacked him had worn a woollen ‘monkey’ cap and had covered half of his face with a handkerchief.
Another injured reporter, Shekhar Khawas of Himalayan Darpan said that the persons who attacked him had worn simple monkey caps and not like the ones displayed by the Police.
“Two persons who attacked me had bottom half of their faces covered by handkerchiefs and wore monkey caps. So I question the ones produced by the Police to the Press yesterday,” said Anjan Upadhaya, Publisher-Editor, Hamro Prajashakti.
Similarly, Pavitra Bhandari of Hamro Prajashakti also said that 4-5 persons who entered the office and attacked them had their faces covered by handkerchiefs. She said that the masks shown by the Police were not the ones worn by the attackers.
Anup Rai of Himalayan Mirror also said that the masks showed by the Police were totally different. All the injured journalists have demanded that master mind behind the attack should be arrested and put behind the bars.
Talking in the matter, DIG Range, Akshay Sachdeva said that another person was arrested by the Police and is being interrogated.
The local journalists, editors, publishers and correspondents of national newspapers and news agencies have decided to continue with their protest untill the main culprits are arrested.

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