Photojournalists assaulted

If we have learnt one thing from the chaos of this past week, it is that no one is safe. During any protest, blockade or hartal, anyone can be attacked, injured and even killed. Innocent pedestrians, naïve foreigners and, yes, even the media people, who were manhandled while discharging their duties. This became apparent in the torching of a private television channel vehicle during Sunday's blockade and the assault of photojournalists from two national English dailies in Tuesday's hartal. And, while the vehicle was set ablaze by pro-blockade, opposition activists, the photojournalists were attacked by no one but a policeman. This goes to show that not only is no one not safe, but that no one is safe from anyone -- not the opposition's pro-hartal supporters, not the government's anti-hartal activists, and not even the law enforcing agencies who are delegated the duty of maintaining law and order and safety of all citizens.
At best, they have stood by while pro-government activists have had their way; at worst, they themselves were the attackers. The photojournalists, who were taking photographs of tyres being set on fire, were assaulted by police on the scene, detained, and manhandled again at the police station, despite having produced their identity cards.
Journalists risk their safety and even their lives in the line of duty, simply to report the facts to the audience and illustrate them with photographs. In a non-combat zone, there is no situation more dangerous than where mobs run amok attacking and setting ablaze anything in their path. Under these circumstances, if they are also at risk from the law enforcing agencies whose duty it is to protect, there can be nothing more unfortunate.
The sub-inspector responsible in the above case has been closed, a prompt action we are glad about. We hope never to see a repetition of such an incident.