Journalist assaulted, locked in room for questioning BJP workers in Amit Shah’s UP rally
Lucknow: Journalist Raghav Trivedi, affiliated with the digital platform Molitics, was allegedly assaulted and confined by workers associated with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) while covering a rally addressed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Rae Bareli, Uttar Pradesh. Trivedi sustained injuries and was subsequently admitted to a hospital for medical treatment.
Trivedi reported that he had interviewed several women at the rally who claimed they were paid Rs 100 to attend and were unaware of Amit Shah's identity. When he confronted BJP workers with these allegations, he was instructed to delete the recorded videos and then physically assaulted.
Describing the ordeal, Trivedi recounted being forcibly taken to a secluded area where he was pressured to delete the footage. Despite refusing to comply, he was subjected to physical violence. Trivedi further stated that despite his pleas, neither the police nor bystanders intervened during the assault. Additionally, he mentioned that the attackers used anti-Muslim slur against him.
“Initially, they denied any wrongdoing but when I informed them I had recorded statements of women, a group forcibly took me to a secluded place and demanded I delete the recording. When I refused, they began to assault me… I pleaded with police and bystanders for help, but no one intervened… I lost consciousness. When I regained consciousness, I found myself in hospital,” Trivedi told The Indian Express.
An FIR has been filed against six unidentified individuals under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code based on a complaint lodged by Trivedi's colleague and cameraperson, Sanjeet Sahni. Video footage of the incident shows police personnel present at the scene but failing to intervene.
“I kept requesting people to stop. There were 40-50 police personnel too, but no one came to my rescue as they called me ‘mullah’ and ‘attanki’ and punched me 150-200 times,” he told Newslaundry.
Trivedi's ordeal has sparked widespread condemnation from opposition parties, leaders, and senior journalists. The Congress party denounced the incident, attributing it to frustration within the BJP ranks over impending electoral defeat.
The Press Club of India issued a statement strongly condemning the assault and called for stringent action against the perpetrators by electoral authorities and local law enforcement.
The incident underscores the challenges faced by journalists in India, as highlighted by the country's low ranking in the 2024 World Press Freedom Index, where it placed 159th out of 176 nations. Reporters Without Borders criticized India's position, stating that it does not align with the principles of a democratic society.
ये वो वीडियो क्लिप है जिसको बचाने के लिए मुझे अमित शाह की रैली में लिंचिंग का शिकार होना पड़ा, ये वो क्लिप है जो 400 पार के खोखले दावे की सच्चाई दिखा रही है, वो भाजपाई साथी जो मुझे पीट रहे थे उन्हें बस ये क्लिप चाहिए थे जो मैंने उनको नहीं दी और अब उपलोड कर रहा हूँ.
— Raghav trivedi (@RaghavTrivedi18) May 13, 2024
हां ये सच है… pic.twitter.com/AoUB6BdKZT
देखिए हमारे पत्रकार @RaghavTrivedi18 को किस तरीके से गृहमंत्री अमित शाह की रैली में भीड़ द्वार घेर कर मारपीट की गई।
— Molitics (@moliticsindia) May 12, 2024
सत्ता नशा अब पत्रकार पर सीधे हमले पर आ चुका है, सच्ची पत्रकारिता से डरने वाले आज इस कदर गुंडे बनकर बैठ गए है।
हम लड़ेंगे जीतेंगे pic.twitter.com/rpEem5qMDQ
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Rickelton's ton in vain as SRH beat MI by 6 wickets
Mumbai (PTI): Ryan Rickelton's whirlwind unbeaten ton was overshadowed by Heinrich Klaasen's unbeaten 65 as Sunrisers Hyderabad defeated Mumbai Indians by six wickets in an IPL match here on Wednesday.
Chasing an imposing 244-run target, Travis Head (76 off 30) and Abhishek Sharma (45 off 24) shared 129 runs for the opening wicket to set the platform for SRH.
Klaasen (65 not out off 30 balls) then displayed his all-round hitting abilities to guide SRH home with the help of Nitish Kumar Reddy (21) and Salil Arora (30 not out off 10) in 18.4 overs.
Earlier, Rickelton's knock powered MI to 243 for five.
MI rode on a 93-run stand between Rickelton (123 not out off 55 balls) and Will Jacks (46 off 22) in 7.1 overs for the opening stand to power the side.
MI skipper Hardik Pandya scored a valuable 31 off 15 balls before being dismissed.
Praful Hinge (2/54), Eshan Malinga (1/29), Sakib Hasan (1/39) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (1/31) were the wicket-takers for SRH.
Brief Scores:
Mumbai Indian: 243 for 5 in 20 overs (Ryan Rickelton 123 not out; Praful Hinge 2/54).
Sunrisers Hyderabad: 249 for 4 in 18.4 overs (Travis Head 76, Heinrich Klaasen 65 not out; AM Ghazanfar 2/51).
