Dhanbad: In a disturbing turn of events, journalists in Dhanbad were chased and assaulted by Congress leaders during a protest against the Enforcement Directorate (ED) over the National Herald case. The incident, which occurred on Wednesday at Randhir Verma Chowk, resulted in injuries to several journalists, including a photojournalist who was hospitalized for treatment.
According to reports, the protest turned violent when a dispute broke out among Congress workers, leading to physical altercations. As some journalists began documenting the incident, the son and brothers of District Congress Executive President Rashid Raja Ansari allegedly attacked photojournalist Mohammad Shahid with an iron rod, injuring him severely. Shahid was later admitted to Sadar Hospital for medical care. The attackers also damaged his camera during the assault.
धनबाद में कांग्रेसियों ने पत्रकारों पर किया हमला — लोकतंत्र की चौथी शक्ति पर सीधा प्रहार!
धनबाद में सम्मानित पत्रकार साथियों को कांग्रेस कार्यकर्ताओं द्वारा दौड़ा-दौड़ाकर पीटना निंदनीय ही नहीं, बल्कि लोकतंत्र के चौथे स्तंभ पर सीधा हमला है।
यह वही सोच है जो राहुल गांधी की… pic.twitter.com/TfXWkZeJWO
— Amar Kumar Bauri (@amarbauri) April 16, 2025
In addition to the physical assault, several journalists had their mobile phones forcibly taken, though they were returned later. Electronic media cameraperson Sanjay was among those whose phone was snatched and who received death threats.
धनबाद में कांग्रेसियों ने पत्रकारों पर किया हमला — लोकतंत्र की चौथी शक्ति पर सीधा प्रहार!
धनबाद में सम्मानित पत्रकार साथियों को कांग्रेस कार्यकर्ताओं द्वारा दौड़ा-दौड़ाकर पीटना निंदनीय ही नहीं, बल्कि लोकतंत्र के चौथे स्तंभ पर सीधा हमला है।
यह वही सोच है जो राहुल गांधी की… pic.twitter.com/TfXWkZeJWO
— Amar Kumar Bauri (@amarbauri) April 16, 2025
The assault has sparked strong condemnation from journalist organizations across Jharkhand, including the Dhanbad Press Club. A meeting, chaired by Press Club President Sanjeev Jha, was held to discuss the incident and formulate a plan of action demanding accountability for those responsible for the attack.
The incident has raised serious concerns about the safety of journalists and the growing tensions during political protests.
