Kolkata Press Club condemns attack on mediapersons

Kolkata, Feb 11 (UNI) The Kolkata Press Club today strongly condemned yesterday's unprovoked assault on newspersons and cameramen of several newspapers and news television channals and demanded ''immediate arrest and punishment of those involved in the act of cowardice''.

Press Club President Sudeb Roy Chowdhury and Secretary Anidya Sengupta, in a strong-worded statement, today blamed the Trinamool Congress supporters for assaulting and injuring mediapersons at Boratelia near Singur prior to party supremo Mamata Banerjee's meeting there.

Describing the incident as a ''direct infringment on the rights of media to gather information for professional purposes, Mr Roychowdhury and Mr Sengupta said it also ''reflects a sense of desperation''.

At least three television cameramen were injured and admitted to hospital yesterday, after a gang of unidentified Trinamool Congress supporters emerging from the Boratelia meeting ground pounced on them and beat them up charging them of being pro-government.

They also damaged three Outside Broadcasting(OB) vans belonging to different TV channels.

UNI