Journalist beaten up by land grabbers in Lalmonirhat

A journalist of a local newspaper, Selim Shamrat (25), was beaten up inhumanely by land grabbers at Barakhata area of Hatibandha upazila under Lalmonirhat, reports our correspondent quoting police.  

A video of the journalist being beaten up has gone viral on Facebook. A case was lodged in this regard with Hatibandha Police Station last night, confirmed Officer-in-Charge (OC) of the police station, Ershadul Alam.

Selim was attacked when he went to collect information about a land grabbing incident at Barakhata area at around 5pm yesterday. Alleged land grabbers Ali Reza Badal (50) and his younger brother Taijul Islam Mukut (45), along with their men, attacked the journalist, said the OC quoting locals.

At one point, the attackers pushed Selim to the ground and started beating him mercilessly. Locals rescued the injured Selim; the attackers fled the scene. Selim was admitted to Hatibandha Upazila Health Complex, the OC said.

Police conducted a raid last night to arrest the attackers but they were not found. Police are trying to arrest them, the OC said.

The assaulted journalist is working as the Hatibandha correspondent of the local newspaper Bahannor Alo. Selim told The Daily Star that Ali Reza Badal and Taijul Islam Mukut wanted to see his identity card when he went to collect information.

"They tried to snatch my identity card when I showed it to them," said Selim, adding that, "At one point the land grabbers attacked me without any reason, pushed me to the ground, and started beating me mercilessly."

Eyewitness Mizanur Rahman told The Daily Star that as soon as the journalist came to the spot, the alleged land grabbers and their men attacked him. Locals rushed to the spot and rescued the journalist. The attackers are known for grabbing land illegally in the area, he said.

Local journalists have demanded arrest of the attackers within 24 hours.