Guwahati: Assam police have arrested Kokrajhar based reporter, Jaikhnong Brahma of Guwahati-based satellite TV channel, News Live, on charges of having links with outlawed militant group National Democratic Front of Bodoland (Sangbijit faction) triggering sharp protests in various parts of the State.
The journalist was called to Kokrajhar police station from his residence on Tuesday evening and arrested. His laptop computer has been seized by the police.
Journalists today registered protest in Kokrajhar Press Club against the arrest and demanded immediate unconditional release of the of the TV scribe.
The Electronic Media Forum of Assam (EMFA) has also demanded immediate unconditional release of the journalist.
The EMFA stated that reporting on activities of militant outfits and militancy can’t be ground for arrest of a
journalist.
Meanwhile, a communiqué issued from the headquarter of Assam Police here informed that “Jaikhnong Brahma (44) news correspondence of News Live, a satellite channel, has been arrested by Police from Kokrajhar town Tuesday night. Police recovered some objectionable evidences against him.”
The communiqué further said, “ It may be mentioned that this person voluntarily do the work of promoting and knowingly facilitating the violent acts of this banned organization viz. NDFB(Anti-talk faction) which compromises the national security and integrity.
He is found to providing information to the extremists about the movement of security forces in advance and instigating the cadres of outfit to indulge in the violent activities like killing of innocent persons/sources or informers of the security forces/burning the vehicles on National Highways to create the fear psychosis among the masses and causing breach of public tranquility as well as to glorify the act of extremist of banned organization.”