Watch: BJP Members Attack Journalist In Karnataka For Reporting On Issues Of Illegal Mining

Local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders on Saturday attacked a local TV reporter in Karnataka's Tumkur district for reporting on issues of illegal mining in the state, reported ANI.



The incident took place when the reporter arrived to attend a media conference organised by the BJP leaders on Saturday morning.

A video of the incident has been doing rounds in the social media. In the video the BJP members can be seen beating a reporter.

According to reports, the attacked local TV reporter has earlier reported on the issues of the illegal mining in Karnataka.

#WATCH Local TV reporter attacked by BJP members in #Karnataka's Tumkur for reporting on issues of illegal mining pic.twitter.com/whhoztC2Ej — ANI (@ANI) December 2, 2017

All the BJP party members have been booked based on the FIR that was registered by the attacked TV reporter. Congress leader Suraj Hegde in the mean time has condemned the incident and requested for stringent action against the culprits. Speaking to ANI, he said, "The reporter's job is to bring out the truth and if a person is attacked for doing his job, it is not acceptable." "These days many incidents such as killings of reporter come to light. If reporters are threatened then the fourth pillar of democracy will be affected," added Hedge. In 2013, a slew of cases related to the illegal mining of iron ore were handed to the CBI after large-scale irregularities were reported in Karnataka. However, the CBI later wrote a letter to the State's Chief Secretary saying it cannot register any case because of technical reasons.

CBI probe was ordered after a Lokayukta investigation, by then Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hegde, reported that more than 70 lakh metric tonnes of iron ore was mined and exported illegally from Bellary in north Karnataka. It had pegged the losses to the government at over Rs 16,000 crores till 2010.

(With Agency Inputs)

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