Jharkhand: Health Minister Irfan Ansari’s supporters assault journalists for questioning; opposition seeks action against Congress leader

Journalists assaulted in Hazaribagh after questioning minister Irfan Ansari
Jharkhand Health Minister Irfan Ansari's supporters assaulted two journalists for asking questions (Image: SS from viral videos)

On 28th April, two journalists were brutally assaulted in Hazaribagh, Jharkhand, after asking questions to Congress leader and Health Minister Irfan Ansari. The incident has triggered anger among journalists. Opposition leader Babulal Marandi has demanded strict action against the minister and his supporters.

The incident took place when Ansari visited Sheikh Bhikhari Medical College to meet families affected by multiple tragedies. After interacting with the families of the victims, the minister addressed the media. During the interaction, journalists asked questions about the Chatra air ambulance crash and the reported delay in compensation to the families of the victims. The questions irked the supporters of the minister, which led to chaos at the spot.

Assault in presence of minister and police

According to media reports, as journalists continued asking questions, a group of the minister’s supporters present at the venue turned aggressive. They assaulted two media persons, journalist Sushant Soni of News18 and journalist Ashish Sav.

Eyewitnesses present at the scene stated that the assault took place in the presence of the minister and police personnel. Reportedly, they did not intervene immediately. The injured journalists were later rescued by fellow media persons and taken to hospital for treatment.

A video of the incident has gone viral on social media where a mob can be seen attacking the journalists.

Opposition demands action, warns of statewide protest

Following the incident, Leader of Opposition Babulal Marandi criticised the attack on the journalists and demanded that a case must be registered against both the minister and his supporters. He shared the video of the incident on social media platform X and stated that the attack was carried out at the behest of the minister.

He added that if public questioning troubles ministers, they should reconsider their role in politics. He urged Chief Minister Hemant Soren to take immediate action and ensure accountability in the matter. OpIndia tried contacting Marandi but could not connect.

Journalists present at the scene have also warned of a statewide protest, stating that such attacks on media personnel cannot be tolerated under any circumstances. An application has been submitted by the journalists at Sadar Police Station. It is unclear if an FIR has been registered in the matter or not.

Written by OpIndia Staff
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