A group led by Janakpur Sub-metropolitan City Mayor Lalkishor Shah assaulted journalists in his office today. 

When 12 journalists went to the sub-metropolis office to collect news about irregularities, they were beaten up by Mayor Shah and his supporters. Mediapersons had gone to the office to question people’s representatives about irregularities worth Rs 8.5 million during expansion of the road in front of Janaki temple.

According to Kiran Karna, Federation of Nepali Journalists general secretary for Province 2, FNJ Dhanusha Chairperson Anil Mishra and journalists Amarkanta Thakur, Bikash Shah, Shatrughan Yadav, Raja Jha and Subhas Karna were among those attacked with a helmet by the mayor’s supporters and the municipal police at the behest of the mayor.

“We waited for three hours to talk to the mayor, but he ignored us. When we tried to enter his office, all hell broke loose and we were assaulted,” said Karna, adding that journalists Thakur, Shah, Jha and Subhas Karna were injured in the incident. He sought action against assaulters and security for journalists.

FNJ General Secretary Ramesh Bista also put out a statement today, asking the administration to take immediate action against the mayor and his associates involved in the assault and ensure security for journalists.

“The abuse and beating of journalists on duty, that too in the mayor’s office, is a direct violation of press freedom,” the statement reads.

Mayor Shah, however, accused the journalists of barging into his office and threatening him. “They entered my office without any appointment and asked me why I had transferred the administrative officer, among other things. When I said I would talk to them on those issues later, they threatened me,” he said.

The sub-metropolis stated that municipal members Puspa Yadav and Sunita Mestarni, office assistant Mina Devi and a service seeker, Pramila Mandal, were injured in the clash. They are undergoing treatment at the provincial hospital in Janakpurdham.