Journalists Assaulted by Health Minister's Supporters in Hazaribag, Complaint Filed

Hazaribag/Ranchi: Sadar police station in Hazaribag on Wednesday registered a complaint lodged by two journalists alleging assault by supporters of health minister Irfan Ansari during his visit on Tuesday.

The minister had visited Sheikh Bhikhari Medical College and Hospital on Tuesday morning to meet the relatives of three individuals whose bodies were found from a water body on Sunday. All three were missing for the last few days. During an impromptu media meet outside the hospital, some supporters of the minister who were present, allegedly turned violent over a few critical questions. Later, a mob allegedly thrashed those journalists in the presence of Ansari.

The incident led to a string of protests across several districts by journalist bodies on Wednesday demanding the minister’s apology and his removal.

Complainants Sushant Kumar Soni and Ashish Kumar Sahu claimed that they were at the hospital for coverage and had questioned the minister over the Chatra air ambulance crash case. Later, another journalist asked a question related to Ram Navami. Witnesses claimed that the queries triggered anger among the minister’s supporters, who allegedly turned aggressive and began obstructing the journalists and assaulting them.

Murari Singh, president of Hazaribag Press Club, said they will meet SP Aman Kumar on Thursday demanding action against the culprits.

Calling the minister as ‘motormouth’, Ranchi Press Club president Shambunath Choudhary maintained that Ansari has a history of stoking controversy to stay in the limelight.

“However, this time, his men chose to target media which is unacceptable. We are now planning to unite the journalist fraternity in Hazaribag to protest and decide an action plan to ensure such incidents don’t recur. We also demand the CM to remove the minister,” said Choudhary.

He also criticised the minister’s statement on journalists that it is because of him that many are able to run their households. “Rather than having remorse over the incident when questioned by a few journalists in Ranchi on Tuesday evening, he went on to mock the entire fraternity,” he added.

Ansari said that he was not present during the incident. “I have the deepest respect for media, but some often try to work as BJP agents, I think. I wasn’t even present when the assault took place,” he said.


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