Brutal attack on TV journo; MoS Murugan calls for a SIT probe

CHENNAI: Union Minister of State, L Murugan, Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan and State BJP president K Annamalai on Thursday termed the attack on a journalist in Tirupur as a classic case of breakdown of law and order situation in the state and urged the ruling DMK to wake up to the reality.

After visiting the hospital in Coimbatore where the journalist was admitted and inquired about his health from doctors, Union Minister of State L Murugan said, "The brutal murderous attack on the private Tamil television channel reporter Nesa Prabhu by miscreants is highly condemnable. The police and the state government should take immediate action against the miscreants. The police department should initiate legal action against the police inspector for the lax attitude."

"At the time of Republic Day celebrations, there is an insecure environment for the person in the media and this incident showed a classic example of breakdown of law and order situation in the state, " he noted.

Further, Murugan urged the state government to transfer the investigation to the Special Investigation Team.

Telangana governor Tamilisai Soundararajan said the freedom of press and transparent neutral media are under threat.

"I strongly condemn the attack on TV journalist Nesa Prabhu. Failure to protect the media person is regrettable. Journalists are pillars of democracy, their lives must be safeguarded. Hoping for a swift investigation and justice, " she said.

Condemning the ruling DMK government, BJP State president K Annamalai said the hands of police are completely tied by the ruling DMK government.

"Crimes have become a daily routine in Tamil Nadu. The hands of police are completely tied by the DMK government. Law and order has broken down and there is no security for the people. Law and order has been a total failure in the DMK government, " Annamalai said.

However, the saffron party leader dragged the senior journalists for their 'silence' towards the mismanagement of the ruling DMK.

"The media does not question the government's mistakes or the law and order disorder, but tries to silence those who ask questions. Senior journalists do not like to question authority or point out mistakes. All are implicitly forced to conform to authority as some honest journalists are also attacked by anti-social elements. Those who have the opportunity to question power do not use it for the people, " he noted.

"The failures of the DMK government cannot be kept hidden for a long time and cannot be peafowled. The media should realise that this is a life safety issue for all citizens in Tamil Nadu, " added Annamalai.