Journalists from across the State lodged protest against the attack on a photojournalist in Ranchi as they organised silent march holding banners and placards near adminitrative offices on Friday. Registering their protest against the brutal attack, the scribes of Ranchi even boycotted Press conferences and did not attended programmes, especially called by police.The protests were visible in Gumla, lohardaga, Dumka and other districts prominently.
Meanwhile, South Chhotanagpur Commissioner KK Khandelwal, who was appointed by the CM to probe the incident is said to have submitted his report to the Government on Friday.leader of Opposition Hemant Soren, condemning the shameful attack on photojournalist Manoranjan Singh, called it an attack on the fourth pillar of democracy. Soren visited photojournalist at his residence on Friday in Kokar and demanded immediate action against the culprits.“The Government has failed on several fronts as law and order situation is diminishing regularly in the State. Despite such a brutal attack made on the photojournalist, no action has been taken so far by the police department which is really unfortunate,” said Soren.Some goons present in the chamber of Building Construction department, Executive Engineer Pradeep Kumar Singh alongwith the contractors brutally thrashed photojournalist Manoranjan Singh on Wednesday while he had gone there to cover protest of the leaders of Aadivasi Moolwasi Vikas Morcha.
Manorajan, after being thrashed by sticks and beer-bottles became totally unconscious. Moreover, the goons also snatched his camera and mobile phones and kept Manoranjan captive for over two hours, which was reported to the newspaper office by some of the commoners present at the spot. According to Manoranjan, the Executive Engineer, after calling SDO Amit Kumar on the spot, also threatened the Photojournalist of lodging a complaint against him.Meanwhile, in a separate incident, City SP Jaya Roy on Friday removed Argora Thana In-charge Vikas Kumar for beating a person Kartik Tigga brutally at his house in front of the family members on Thursday night. According to police, action was taken against Tigga after a person named Rajnish lodged an online FIR against Tigga. According to the family members, despite their insistence, that Tigga was innocent, Kumar thrashed him brutally. They have demanded suspension of the Argora OC. According to the family members, police entered their house forcefully and started beating Tigga charging him of demanding extortion from Rajnish. The police hit several times at his back from a cane following which it started bleeding. Tigga was later taken to the hospital by his family members.