TNIE reporter attacked in Bengaluru court complex

BENGALURU: In a blatant violation of press freedom, 23-year-old reporter Rakshith Gowda TT from The new Indian Express was attacked and robbed of his mobile phone by a group of four unidentified men. The incident occurred at around 5.30pm on Saturday evening right outside the courtroom on the second floor of the Deputy Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court Complex on Nrupathunga Road.

Rakshith was covering the hearing in the Renukaswamy murder case in which popular Kannada actor Darshan is the second accused. Darshan was to be produced in court and the reporter was present to cover it.

As he stood in the hallway waiting for the hearing to begin, four unknown people approached him and began questioning him about his identity. When he replied that he was from the media, they immediately began attacking him, after which he was allegedly dragged nearly 50 meters. They also verbally abused him and asked him to leave the court complex, threatening him with “dire consequences” if he was ever seen again.

The men, reportedly wearing formal white long-sleeved shirts, also snatched his mobile phone. The TNIE reporter, though injured and bleeding, left the court complex and went straight to the Halasuru Gate police station to report the incident. Some police officers deployed for Darshan’s court hearing stood as silent spectators even as he asked them for help.

HT Shekhar, DCP (Central), rushed to the police station and personally looked into the case. He directed his officers to register a complaint and start investigation immediately. In the meantime, Rakshith’s phone was seized by the DCP and handed over to him.

“After Darshan’s court hearing, some lawyers came and handed over some phones saying that they belonged to the reporters. Some unidentified men snatched the phones from the reporters who had come to cover the court case. Sensing trouble, they handed over the phones. We will request the CCTV footage of the court and take action against those behind the attack,” the DCP added.

President of Advocates’ Association of Bengaluru, Vivek Subba Reddy, said some miscreants were responsible for this unfortunate incident during the production of actor Darshan. “We condemn such an act. I am sure the law enforcement agencies will get to the bottom of the matter and take appropriate action.”