This Article is From Jun 27, 2011

Mayawati's cops attack journalists

Lucknow: Rattled by the law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh, the police took out its anger on the journalists in the city reporting on the issue.

Shalabh Mani Tripathi, Bureau Chief of a Hindi news channel, was picked up by the police with his assistant and allegedly manhandled and thrashed by them.

The reporter says he was attacked for his reporting on the chief medical officer, who was found dead in the Lucknow Jail hospital.

"Two police officials came in a gypsy and attacked me and few others, saying these guys show rubbish news reports. They have become media mafias and need to be sorted out. One of them dragged me into the car, on asking as to why are they behaving this way the police officials said you guys need to be sorted out as you show wrong and sensational news," said Shalabh Mani Tripathi.

Journalists in Lucknow protested outside the Chief Minister's residence, after which the Secretary to the Chief Minister told the reporters that the process of suspension of the police officers had been initiated.

"The complaint has been registered...people who have been named in the complaint are being suspended ...this incident happened between a journalist and an official," said Navneet Sahgal, Secretary to the Chief Minister.

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