KOLKATA: The Sandeshkhali horror has blown away the conscience of the public across India and the details of the incident still evoke repugnance among many. National media have taken up the incident while facing the dire threat of arrest from TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee.
On Tuesday. Republic Bangla journalist Santu Pan was dragged away by armed police while he was busy reporting the Sandeshkhali gang rapes at the location. The video of the incident has also gone viral across social media.
“I’m being taken away by force. I am being arrested for interviewing the mothers of Sandeshkhali” Santu Pan told the media while he was taken away by police.
Journalist of @BanglaRepublic. Santu Pan has been arrested by WB Police in Sandeshkhali. This is how democracy, freedom of speech, freedom of press runs in Bengal.
— Keya Ghosh (@keyakahe) February 19, 2024
Kudos to the fearless reporter for this display of courage. pic.twitter.com/jEuWr1XbKF
Opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari had earlier told how situations have turned worse at Sandeshkhali as he said the government is not even allowing rape victims to reveal the horrific details to the media.
Meanwhile, BJP’s Keya Ghosh called Santu Pan a brave journalist and asked the whole nation to get an understanding of how press freedom works in Bengal. Apart from this the 'Editor’s Guild of India' also condemned the arrest in harsh words.
Arnab Goswami, the Managing Director of Republic TV has decided to challenge the arrest in Kolkata High Court.
However, as per TMC, Santu while reporting entered a house where the women inside were not properly dressed. This led to one woman registering a complaint in the nearby police station.
Meanwhile, Mamata Banerjee lambasted a few BJP-affiliated media portals for aggravating the tension in Sandeshkhali. Section 144 has been declared here for one week.
On February 8th, hundreds of women from Sandeshkhali village hit the streets brandishing brooms as a sign of protest as they alleged suffering horrendous physical assault and gang rapes in the factory owned by Mamata Banerjee’s close confidante Sheikh Shahjahan and his two aides Shiba Prasad Hazra and Uttam Sardar.