Journalists beaten up by police outside Bengal secretariat

Three journalists, covering an official programme of West Bengal Governor M.K. Narayanan and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in front of the temporary state secretariat Nabanna, were beaten up by police Thursday.

One of the three journalists sustained a head injury, and was taken to hospital.

The incident occurred while a photo session was on during the unveiling of the state's administrative calendar released by Narayanan.

With a large posse of lenspersons on the job in the narrow area, there was some mad scramble and some of them went close to the security area, and were pushed by police.

When journalists got irritated and complained, Assistant Commisisioner of detective department Tanmoy Roy said: "Don't you know my powers? We have the right to push anybody."

As journalists protested and shouted slogans, police turned their wrath on them and started raining blows. Bhaskar Mukhopadhyay, photo journalist of leading Bangladesh daily Prothom Alo was hit on the head.

The journalists then went to Narayanan seeking his intervention and action against Roy and another policeman Rakesh Singh. The governor pacified the journalists and asked Chief Secretary Sanjay Mitra and Kolkata Police Commissioner Surojit Kar Purokayastha to look into the matter.

Later, Howrah Police Commissioner Ajay Ranade said a probe has been ordered. The Press Club, Kolkata, condemned the "police attack" on journalists and demanded action against "guilty police personnel". Later, the injured journalists filed complaints against the two policemen for causing grievous hurt and attempt to murder.

The Calcutta Journalists Club also condemned the attack.