The Editors Guild of India expressed its deep concern over the attack on a Bastar-based journalist and sought Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh's intervention to ensure a fair probe in the case.
The attack against the "tenets of freedom of press", is highly condemnable. That the local police have not deemed it fit to register an FIR, smacks of "partisan behaviour", the Guild said.
"While the activists and the police are free to place their point of view, even counter the stories she has written, the physical and mental intimidation of the Scroll.In writer and the attempt to stop her from reporting from the region is not acceptable," the Editors body said in a statement.
Narrating the incident, the Guild said that a group of unidentified persons hurled stones at journalist Malini Subramaniam's house on February 8 in which her car was damaged, a day after social group 'Samajik Ekta Manch' staged a protest against her.
Samajik Ekta Manch comprises of political workers of all major parties in Bastar and some former Salwa Judum activists who claim to be anti-Maoists, the statement said.
The attackers also accused the journalist of being a Maoist sympathiser, it said.
Bastar has been in the throes of an armed conflict and two local stringers working for a newspaper, arrested on charges of aiding the Maoists, are "languishing" in jail, the Guild added.
