Various journalists’ organisations today demonstrated against police personnel for assaulting their co-workers who had reached Bhojpur district headquarters to collect news about a torch rally taken out by the cadres of the 30-party alliance on the eve of their three-day general strike yesterday evening, in the district. Rajan Rai and Arjun Basnet were beaten black and blue while trying to capture the scene of a clash between security personnel and demonstrators during the rally yesterday. Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) Bhojpur chapter, Nepal Indigenous Nationalities Journalists’ Bhojpur chapter, Kirant Rai Journalists’ Association, Tamang Communication Group, Press Chautari and Nepal Press Union, among other media organisations, condemned police action in a joint press release today. They have also urged the state to be more serious about the security of journalists. Stringent action has been sought against cops involved in the attack. “They attacked us indiscriminately even though we informed them that we were journalists,” they said. Rai, one of the victims, is affiliated to Image Channel Television whereas Basnet is an employee of Gorkhapatra daily. Meanwhile, CDO Dil Kumar Tamang pledged to investigate the incident at the earliest. Likewise, DSP Basu Dev Khatiwada of the district apologised to journalists for the attack.