The journalist was assaulted near his house in Palladam, Tiruppur, on the night of 24 January, by a gang of unknown persons wielding weapons.
Tiruppur journalist Nesaprabhu (left), state government letter condemning the attack. (X)
Following the brutal attack on Tiruppur-based journalist Nesaprabhu by unidentified persons, Chief Minister MK Stalin, on Thursday, 25 January, assured stern action against the perpetrators of the crime.
The journalist, working at News7 Tamil, was assaulted near his house in Palladam, Tiruppur district, on the night of 24 January, despite raising concerns about being followed and seeking police protection nearly four hours before the attack.
Expressing anguish, Stalin condemned the attack and promised tough legal action against the perpetrators, “whoever they may be”. He also directed the release of ₹3 lakh as financial assistance from the Journalists’ Welfare Board.
While audio clips of the journalist’s conversation with police personnel seeking help and protection were widely shared on social media, the government said that the Chief Minister has directed police authorities to place the jurisdictional police inspector on a “compulsory wait”.
https://twitter.com/CMOTamilnadu/status/1750444749574787366
Nesaprabhu is currently being treated in the intensive care unit of a private hospital in Coimbatore for serious injuries to his left hand, as well as deep cuts on his leg, chest, and head.
Leader of the Opposition, Edappadi K Palaniswami expressed shock over the attack and slammed the police for “slackness” and underlined that the journalist, Nesaprabhu, had approached the police four hours before the attack.
Palaniswami demanded that the culprits be arrested immediately. Blaming the government for the law and order situation and hitting out at Chief Minister Stalin as a “puppet CM”, the AIADMK chief said that action must be taken to prevent the recurrence of such incidents.
திருப்பூர் மாவட்டம் பல்லடத்தில் செய்தியாளர் நேசபிரபு கொடூரமான முறையில் தாக்கப்பட்டுள்ள சம்பவம் அதிர்ச்சியளிக்கிறது.
மர்ம நபர்கள் தன்னை தாக்குவதற்கான அச்சமான சூழ்நிலை நிலவுவதாக நேசபிரபு தொடர்ச்சியாக காவல்துறையிடம் முறையிட்டும், தாக்குதலுக்கு 4 மணிநேரங்களுக்கு முன்பே தெரிவித்தும்… pic.twitter.com/zIfxpLH2zd
— Edappadi K Palaniswami – Say No To Drugs & DMK (@EPSTamilNadu) January 25, 2024
CPI (M) State Secretary K Balakrishnan said that the journalist sustained grievous injuries in the attack carried out by “anti-social elements” for his reportage.
“The murderous attack could have been averted had the local police acted on his complaint. The jurisdictional police abetted anti-socials by not acting on his complaint,” the Marxist party leader alleged.
The culprits should be brought to book and action must be taken against errant police personnel, Balakrishnan said.
Governor of Telangana and Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry Tamilisai Soundararajan strongly condemned the attacked on a post on X.
“The freedom of press and transparent neutral media are under threat. Failure to protect the media person is regrettable. Journalists are pillars of the democracy their life must be safe guarded,” she said.
She added that she hoped for a swift investigation and justice.
Strongly condemned the attack on @news7tamil journalist #Nesaprabhu. The Freedom of press and transparent neutral media are under threat.Failure to protect the media person is regrettable.
Journalists are pillars of the democracy their life must be safe guarded. Hoping for a… pic.twitter.com/2zptvMb1r1— Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan (மோடியின் குடும்பம் ) (@DrTamilisai4BJP) January 25, 2024
PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss, Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam chief TTV Dhinakaran, and Manithaneya Makkal Katchi leader MH Jawahirullah condemned the attack and sought tough action.
According to a News7 Tamil report, Nesaprabhu was busy gathering news on Wednesday when he noticed that he was being followed by unknown persons in cars and bikes. Following this, he contacted the police control room and gave them information.
The police control room further informed the local Kamanaickenpalayam Police Station. Following this, the local police contacted Nesaprabhu and asked him for an explanation regarding his complaint.
The News7 Tamil report stated that “Nesaprabhu requested security from the police for more than four hours, but the police, who handled it indifferently, instructed him to come and file a complaint in person.”
Feeling that his life was under threat, Nesaprabhu sought refuge in a public area around 9 pm, providing the police with detailed information about the vehicles tailing him.
However, while on the phone with the police, unidentified persons in five vehicles surrounded Nesaprabhu, who was hiding at a nearby petrol bunk.
In an audio being circulated on social media, a terrified Nesaprabhu can be heard telling the police shortly before being attacked, “Sir, they have come, they have come… Sir, please come. There are five cars…They have come, sir… It’s over, my life is over… There is a Punch car, an Innova, Indica…”
The horrific attack on the reporter has led to journalist associations demanding a thorough investigation in the case, raising questions on law and order under the DMK regime. Journalists from across Tamil Nadu are staging protests condemning the attack on Nesaprabhu and seeking stern action.
(With PTI inputs)
May 15, 2024
May 15, 2024
May 15, 2024
May 14, 2024
May 13, 2024
May 13, 2024
