Journalist manhandled by police in Kerala

A journalist of a regional Malayalam daily was allegedly manhandled by the police at Varkala in Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala, the latest in a series of attack on media persons across the country.

Sajeev Gopalan (49) was allegedly beaten up by two police personnel at his house last night, triggering protests from media fraternity.

Gopalan, local correspondent of 'Kerala Kaumudi', was admitted to a private hospital here with injuries.

His family members alleged that the journalist had recently published a news item on the abduction of a girl and the alleged involvement of some police officials in protecting the accused.
 

This must be the reason for the attack against the journo, they claimed.

The incident took place when Gopalan was standing in front of his house to see off his two friends who had come for dinner.

Police have started a probe into the incident, P Asok Kumar, Thiruvananthapuram rural police chief, said.

"Based on media reports, Attingal ASP has been asked to conduct an inquiry," he said.

Thiruvananthapuram district unit of Kerala Union of Working Journalists condemned the incident and submitted a memorandum to DGP Loknath Behera seeking speedy action.

Senior Kannada journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh, known for her left-leaning outlook and forthright views against Hindutva politics, was shot dead by unidentified assailants at her residence on September 5.

Senior journalist K J Singh and his mother were found dead in Mohali on September 23.

In another incident, unidentified gunmen had shot dead a journalist at Bihar's Salkhani village earlier this year.