Three arrested for assault on Bengal journalists

Three people have been arrested over assaulting journalists during the violence-marred civic body polls in the city's satellite township Bidhannagar, police said on Monday.

"In connection with the assault on the journalists, we arrested three people last night (Sunday night) - Ashish Ghosh, Bittu Das and Gopal Routh," Bidhannagar Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Debashish Dhar said.

Media persons faced the ire of alleged Trinamool Congress workers and hoodlums as they tried to film and click photos of electoral malpractices during the polls on October 3.

While several of the media persons, including photo and video journalists, had to be hospitalised, a female reporter of a news channel was allegedly threatened of rape by a gang of goons.

West Bengal Governor K.N. Tripathi has called for action by the state election commission in the matter.

Meanwhile, eminent personalities and intellectuals, including actor Soumitra Chatterjee and noted poet Sankha Ghosh, have condemned the attack and the widespread violence surrounding the polls.

"We are deeply concerned at the lack of neutrality of the administration and security of the common people. We strongly oppose the attempts to turn the electoral process violent and this has infringed and blemished democracy," a statement issued by a host of personalities said.