Tribune News Service

Jammu, March 13

A group of journalists covering the illegal settlement of Rohingyas and Bangladeshi migrants near the Sunjuwan military camp were today attacked by illegal settlers and some local residents in the outskirts of the city.

An FIR in this regard has been registered at the Trikuta Nagar police station and two persons — Mohammad Ashraf and Sher Mohammad — have been arrested.

Mediapersons belonging to two national channels and an RTI activist had gone to an illegal colony in the Narwal area for a story when they were thrashed. The camp is close to Sunjawan military installation, which was recently attacked by terrorists. “We were talking to some people about how Rohingyas managed to get SIM cards and registration certificates for running shops when some persons attacked us,” said Rohit Choudhary, an RTI activist. The video of the attack has gone viral on social media. He inflicted several blows on the head of a journalist. Talking to media, Vivek Gupta, SSP, Jammu, said they had detained two local youths after an FIR was lodged by journalists. “So far, we have detained two local youths. They are not Rohingyas,” Gupta said. Security agencies had been warning of possible influx of radical elements in Jammu from Myanmar, but no action has been taken to stop their illegal settlement.

Deputy CM Nirmal Singh also condemned the attack on journalists. “Had a word with police to take strict against the miscreants involved under the law of land,” tweeted the Deputy CM.

Meanwhile, the Press Club of Jammu condemned the attack. Zorawar Singh Jamwal, secretary general of the club, demanded strict action against the miscreants. “This is not the first case. Earlier also, there have been cases of assault on journalists on duty and it is a direct attack on the fourth pillar of our democracy,” he added.