Journalist held in Assam for insurgent links

A news correspondent with a satellite TV channel of Assam has been arrested for his alleged links with Bodo insurgents, police said Wednesday.

Jaikhnong Brahma, 44, who works with News Live channel, was arrested Tuesday night from his residence in Kokrajhar for alleged links with the anti-talk faction of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland.

Police said the journalist used to facilitate the banned outfit's violent activities, compromising national security.

Police said they found evidence that Brahma used to provide information to the extremists about the movement of security forces. He also instigated its cadres to indulge in violent activities.

Several journalist organisations, including the Electronic Media Forum Assam (EMFA), Wednesday asked police to release Brahma.

The forum said that reporting insurgency was not a crime, and appealed to police to make public the allegations levelled against the journalist.