DD cameraman and 2 cops killed, DD team was working on development story in Dantewada

In probably the first ever case of direct attack on the media, Maoists ambushed a three-member DD crew, killing cameraman Achyuta Nanda Sahu, and two policemen — Constable Mangal Ram and Assistant Sub-Inspector Rudra Pratap Singh — who were part of the team escorting the national broadcaster journalists in Dantewada on Tuesday.

Two other policemen, who were part of the squad providing security to the journalists were critically injured in the 45-50 minutes gunbattle that ensued the Naxal ambush.

The incident has created outrage and intellectuals in poll-bound Chhattisgarh termed the killing of the young cameraman “a move to scare media from covering development stories of sprawling Bastar”, epicentre of Maoism in India since late 1980s.

“This is unfortunate that media has been directly attacked. The DD crew under police protection wanted to cover a report of a brand new road being constructed in the Maoist pocket. The cameraman spotted a Maoist banner and he tried to shoot it. Suddenly Maoists started spraying bullets on him and the police team,” Vivekanand Sinha, IG Bastar, told reporters.

Shocked and terrified Dheeraj Kumar, one of the DD crew members, shared the nerve-chilling story with reporters in Dantewada after the incident and said, “There were blasts and gunshots all around for 45-50 minutes at Aranpur forests while I was lying on thickly forested turf.”

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh strongly condemned the killing of policemen and DD cameraman and described it “a well-planned attempt to block development and scare people who want to report development stories of troubled areas of Bastar.”

Sahu, 34, hailed from Loisinga in Odisha’s Bolangir district. The injured police personnel are Vishnu Netam and Rakesh Kaushal.

Meanwhile, DD News in a tweet said, “DD News had deputed a team to cover the Chhattisgarh polls, comprising cameraperson Achyuta Nanda Sahu, Dheeraj Kumar and MM Sharma. In a Naxal attack, Sahu was martyred. The entire DD News family salutes his service and stands by his family in this hour of grief.”

Information & Broadcasting Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore tweeted, “Strongly condemn the Naxal attack on DD News Live crew. Deeply saddened by the demise of our cameraman and two jawans. These insurgents will not weaken our resolve. We will prevail.”

On Saturday, the Maoists had fired on a contingent of Central Reserve Police Force in Bijapur district, killing four troopers on a day when Chief Minister Raman Singh kicked off the ruling BJP’s election campaign for the Assembly elections.