Inspector General (Operations) Amol venukant Homkar will head the investigation in video journalist Baijnath Mahto attack case, said DGP Neeraj Sinha on Monday. Police have not been able to catch the accused of the deadly attack on Mahto and the anguished journalists of the Capital city today reached police headquarters to lodge their protest.
A delegation of journalists led by Ranchi Press Club president Rajesh Kumar met Chief Secretary Sukhdev Singh and DGP Neeraj Sinha separately and raised serious questions on the lax role of SSP Ranchi, Sadar DSP and Sadar Police.
The delegation urged that strict disciplinary action should be ensured against the officials, who were lax on the whole issue.
Along with this, the attackers of the journalist should also be arrested immediately.
Even after being admitted to RIMS in a critical condition, the treatment of seriously injured Baijnath Mahato started after 8-10 hours. The Chief Secretary and the DGP have assured action in view of the seriousness of the matter. ADG Operations Sanjay Anand Lathkar, IG Amol V Homkar were present during the meeting with the DGP.
The journalists told the officials that if the police had acted immediately after registering the Sanha on September 10, Baijnath would not have been attacked. Baijnath had lodged a written complaint with the Sadar police station on September 10 itself.
Taking the whole matter seriously, DGP Neeraj Sinha ordered strict action. The DGP said that IG (Operations) Amol V Homkar will investigate the whole matter and give his report.
The DGP ordered action against the policemen and those accused of attack for not taking action in the case.
Earlier, in a meeting of journalists held at Press Club at 12 noon, it was decided to meet the Chief Secretary and DGP regarding the laxity of police administration and start of treatment in the hospital after the attack on Baijnath Mahato. About four dozen journalists including senior journalist Brajesh Rai, Press Club General Secretary Akhilesh Kumar Singh, Vice President Pintu Dubey, Satyaprakash Pathak, Prateek Singh attended the meeting.
Notably, Baijnath was brutally attacked by unknown miscreants in the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday. He was found in critical condition at around 3 AM and was rushed to RIMS for treatment. Police have not been able to trace the attackers yet.
Meanwhile, Governor Ramesh Bais, Chief Minister Hemant Soren and several prominent figures of the State expressed grief and condemned the incident.
A number of political leaders, including JPCC chief Rajesh Thakur, also visited RIMS to see Baijnath’s condition on Monday.