[Reader-list] Chhattisgarh cops slap dacoity case against visiting journalist, researchers and activists

[SUNDARA BABU]

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Chhattisgarh cops slap dacoity case against visiting activists
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Raipur, Jan 6 : A case of dacoity has been registered against a group of
journalists and activists from Mumbai and Hyderabad for allegedly clashing
with local media personnel in Chhattisgarh's Maoist stronghold of
Dantewada, police said Wednesday.

"We have registered a case under section 395 of the IPC against six persons,
two unnamed and four named, including two women, on charges of dacoity and
voluntarily causing hurt on a complaint lodged by
Dantewada-based journalists," Amresh Mishra, Dantewada district
superintendent of police, told IANS over phone.

Priyanka Borpujari, Satyen Bordolai and Nishtha from Mumbai and Suresh from
Hyderabad have been named in the FIR (first information report) lodged by a
group of local journalists. They alleged that the activists
and journalists from outside had attacked them and snatched their mobiles
and cameras in Dantewada town, about 380 km from here.

The group, including some documentary filmmakers, were in Dantewada to
participate in the ongoing agitation by NGO Vanvasi Chetna Ashram (VCA)
against alleged atrocities on local tribals by security forces.

Giving their version of what happened, Mumbai-based freelance journalist
Priyanka said that their cameras had been snatched and they had been kept
under detention at the VCA complex for seven hours Tuesday. They were now
returning home from Chhattisgarh.

"We too have lodged a counter FIR against local mediamen for snatching two
cameras and also againstpolice inaction," Priyanka told IANS.

Amresh Mishra, however, denied keeping anyone under detention at VCA or
registering a counter FIR.

"We have received a complaint by VCA guests against
the local journalists but it is not registered. We are just inquiring into
the complaint; as far as detention is concerned, it is totally a false
allegation. We have deployed eight security men at VCA complex in Dantewada
as police protection to VCA chief Himanshu and these cops were on duty on
Tuesday too," he said.

According to local journalist Sunil Singh, the trouble began when the
Mumbai-based activists-journalistsaccused them of "adopting a pro-government
and pro-police stand and used some vulgar words".

"VCA guests called the local newsmen 'paid journalists' who file reports
after accepting money from policeauthorities and government. When
the local journalists countered the charge, they (VCA guests) attacked us
and snatched the camera," he alleged.

"The media in the conflict zone of Bastar has been impartial in its
reporting," said Bastar Journalists' Association President S. Karimuddin.

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