Delhi: Indian scribes under threat; Photojournalist attacked

New Delhi, Sept 12: New Delhi seem to have become a crime hub. No one, especially the journalists are no longer safe in the national capital. A photojournalist, Dheeraj Dikshit has been attacked by some assailants and no one came to rescue the helpless scribe.

Dikshit, who was left back and blue, reportedly was beaten up with belts and hockey sticks. All passers-by reportedly watched the incident but did not try to disperse the attackers.

Sources said that Dikshit was going to South Delhi in his Chevrolet Optra and was chased by a group of unknown assailants who were in a cherry-coloured Santro car. The attackers initially started abusing Dikshit and finally pulled him (Dikshit) out of the car and attacked with hockey sticks and belts.

Dikshit has lodged an FIR. Police personnel said, "Prima facie it seems like an incident of road rage. An FIR has been registered following the complaint of the victim. Before our team could reach the spot, the assailants had already fled. The victim's statement has been taken and we are investigating the case. The registration number of the car has been found and we will arrest the culprits soon."

However, this is not the first time that a journalist is being targeted by some unknown goons in the capital. A few months ago, 32-year-old Akram Latif, who was the programming head of ETV Urdu television channel, was attacked in the broad daylight in Delhi.

Latif, who worked at Amroha in Uttar Pradesh, succumbed to bullet injuries in a hospital where he was brought soon after four assailants attacked him at around 11 am at the Zafrabad area of the national capital.

Another senior journalist, J Dey was also killed brutally though he was murdered in Mumbai. Despite several protest and criticism, police is yet to arrest the main culprit behind MiD DAY journalist's murder case.

OneIndia News