IJU, APUWJ condemn police action

Hyderabad, July 17 (UNI) The Indian Journalist Union (IJU) and the Andhra Pradesh Union of Working Journalists (APUWJ) today strongly condemned the police action against journalists from Andhra Pradesh by the Orissa police at Malkangiri yesterday.

According to a release here, IJU Secretary General K Sriniva Reddy and APUWJ President Y Narendar Reddy said the action of the Orissa police was nothing but an attack on the rights of the people to know.

A telegram was sent to Orissa Chief Minister Navin Patnaik, urging him to inquire into the matter personally and punish guilty policemen, they said.

They also urged the Chief Minister to provide protection to the journalists who were coming to Orissa to cover news.

The incident occurred when several journalists of the print and electronic media from Khammam and Viskahapatnam districts went to Malkangiri to cover the landmine blast, which was allegedly planted by Maoists.

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