Police have launched an investigation into the torture of an on-duty reporter by the officer-in-charge (OC), a sub-inspector (SI) and two constables of Mahipur police station at Kuakata of Kalapara upazila in Patuakhali.
The incident has stirred protests and condemnations from journalists.
The victim is Hossain Amir, the Kuakata correspondent of The Daily Manab Zamin and Bijoy TV. He is also the finance secretary of the Kuakata Press Club.
On Wednesday evening, he was on his way to cover the news of post-election violence in Kuakata when SI Abdur Rob and constables Aziz and Al Amin intercepted him, Amir told his colleagues.
“The policemen led by SI Rob instantly started to physically assault me, and all of a sudden, they dragged me to a police van,” Amir was quoted as saying.
After that, OC Anwar Hossain Talukder, too, beat up him there, Amir said.
He was going to take pictures and footage of the clash between two rival candidates in the area before he allegedly faced the attack. Following the two rounds of beatings, he was taken to the police station.
As the news broke, his colleagues from Kuakata and Mahipur rushed there immediately to protest the incident. They demanded the immediate withdrawal of the OC and the punishment of all those responsible. They also announced the formation of a human chain.
OC Anwar, however, denied the incidents of beating but apologized for the harassment of Amir, according to the protesting journalists.
Meanwhile, the district police formed a probe body Thursday morning, as the incident was also condemned on social media.
The decision was taken in a meeting between the Press Club leaders and Patuakhali’s superintendent of police (SP), Md Saidul Islam. The committee will have to submit its report by tomorrow. Proper action will be taken once the investigation is over, the SP assured the journalist leaders.
Later in the day, Additional SP Zubair Ahmed inspected the spot of the occurrence.
