Published Aug 23, 2024 | 12:58 PM ⚊ Updated Aug 23, 2024 | 12:58 PM
Journalist Saritha at the police station. (Screengrab)
The Telangana police on Thursday, 22 August filed an FIR against five individuals following the assault of two women journalists in Chief Minister Revanth Reddy’s village.
The journalists were in the village to report on the implementation of the crop loan waiver, a contentious issue in Telangana.
According to the FIR accessed by South First, one of the journalists Sarita Avula reported that, while taking videos in the village for the news report, a group of young people approached them, and used abusive language against them. Along with the verbal abuse, the journalists were also given death threats.
The FIR further noted that the group of people questioned the journalists, as to why they came to their village and threatened to not let them leave. “Apart from abusing us, they snatched our mobiles, broke our cameras, and physically assaulted us,” the FIR read, “They also threatened our camerapersons and driver.”
Saritha further reported that a group of 100 people surrounded them for about 30 minutes, scaring them.
Saritha on Thursday said that she was chased by Congress workers and had to go to the police station for her security.
“Requesting assistance from the Telangana police to ensure my safe arrival at home in Hyderabad. Over a dozen vehicles are chasing me, and I need to reach the nearest police station to protect my life. Congress workers even tried to assault me at the police station,” she said.
Requesting assistance from the Telangana police to ensure my safe arrival at home in Hyderabad. Over a dozen vehicles are chasing me, and I need to reach the nearest police station to protect my life
Congress workers even tried to assault me at police station https://t.co/cnYT7E1xDl pic.twitter.com/sEbNQKc2ng
— Sarita Avula (@SaritaAvula) August 22, 2024
The Telangana State Commission for Women also took cognizance of the issue on Friday, 23 August, and wrote to the Nagerkurnool Superintendent of Police.
Sharada Nerella, the chairperson of the commission noted, “A detailed action taken report must be apprised to the Commission at earliest.”
@SCWTelangana has taken cognizance of the reported crime. I have written to Nagarkurnool SP @SpNagarkurnool to ensure fair and speedy investigation in the matter. A detailed action taken report must be apprised to the Commission at earliest. https://t.co/yIQcda094i
— Sharada Nerella (@sharadanerella) August 23, 2024
Telugu Scribe, a digital media platform, with which Saritha is associated, said that the journalists known for their critical coverage of Revanth Reddy’s administration were specifically targeted by the chief minister’s followers, who disregarded their status as women and physically assaulted them.
The organisation further claimed the attack was the first physical attack on female journalists in the ten-year history of Telangana and the sixty-year history of united Andhra Pradesh.
(Edited by Sumavarsha Kandula, with inputs from Sumit Jha.)
