Two Tripura journalists attacked by ‘drug peddlers’ in Sepahijala district

AGARTALA: Two journalists were reportedly attacked by suspected drug peddlers in Sepahijala district of Tripura on Sunday evening.
Local journalist Biplab Chakraborty was allegedly assaulted by a group of unidentified miscreants in Melaghar of Sepahijala district on Sunday evening. Chakraborty was on the way to Sonamura in his personal car when miscreants dressed up as security personnel blocked his way with their vehicle and asked him to get down.
He was then assaulted by these miscreants who thereafter fled the spot.
Another local journalist Sadeq Mia tailed the vehicle that the miscreants were in.
The vehicle then came to a halt after which Mia reportedly saw cannabis being loaded on to it. The consignment had been brought to the spot by some private vehicles. The miscreants spotted Mia and then reportedly started assaulting him. Mia said he was pulled deep inside a nearby jungle and the miscreants beat him up badly.
They also reportedly threatened to shoot him. However, the miscreants, after destroying Mia’s camera and confiscating his mobile phone, subsequently left him injured inside the jungle. Mia was later able to find his way back to the main road.
Sepahijala SP JS Meena said, “The investigation has started. Nobody has been arrested so far.”
Local journalist bodies and Agartala Press Club authorities have condemned the attacks and demanded immediate punishment for the culprits.
In another unrelated incident, Ashis Chakraborty, a journalist associated with a local vernacular daily, has lodged a complaint of being intimidated by unidentified miscreants.
Chakraborty, in his complaint, said that the miscreants had identified the entry and exit points of his house and were keeping a watch on him. He has written many articles against illegal drug trade and has reportedly received threats from the drug mafia earlier as well.
Khowai SP Krishnendu Chakraborty said, “Nobody could identify the persons even after examining the private CCTV footage. Police has started an investigation into the the allegations. Steps have been taken to ensure adequate security cover is provided to the journalist.”