Three-member panel set up to probe assault on media persons in Hisar

New Delhi: The Broadcast Editors’ Association (BEA) has set up a three-member committee to look into allegations of assault on mediapersons during the recent stand-off between police and supporters of self-styled godman Rampal at Hisar in Haryana.

“BEA has decided to form a three-member committee comprising veteran journalist QW Naqvi, BEA general secretary NK Singh and Times Now’s political editor Navika Kumar to probe the assault on the media in Hisar,” BEA President Shazi Zaman said.

He said that the committee, whose report is expected at the earliest, would probe the incident, meet the people concerned and also offer recommendations. The 63-year-old Rampal was arrested on Nov. 19 from the ashram.

On Nov. 18, several persons, including media personnel, were injured as clashes erupted at the ashram of Rampal at Barwala in Hisar with police lobbing teargas shells and using batons to disperse his supporters, who were preventing his arrest.

In the violence, media personnel were injured while the cameras of many private electronic news channels were damaged.

The police action, which resulted in injuries to the mediapersons covering the stand-off, had faced criticism from several quarters, including the News Broadcasters Association.

PTI