A recent incident of a cop physically assaulting a Jaffna-based journalist, causing injury, has raised concern over press freedom in the war-affected region.
Following a tip off on Tuesday, about a petrol bomb explosion in Kopay, about 4 km away from Jaffna city centre, local broadcast journalist Nadarajah Kugaraj rushed to the spot with his camera. As Mr. Kugaraj positioned his camera to begin filming near the area — where a petrol bomb had exploded, gutting a van and two motorcycles — a policeman walked up to him and asked him not to film.
“The police officer was in civil costume as it was poya day [full moon days are public holidays in Sri Lanka]. I was some 30-40 metres away from the spot where the vehicles were gutted. I did not enter the actual scene of crime,” he told The Hindu.
However, as the reporter tried to say that he was only doing his job, the policeman pushed his camera and punched his face, causing a bleeding injury in his mouth.
“I spoke to my editor and then rushed to the hospital,” said Mr. Kugaraj, an employee of the privately-owned DAN TV. The doctors admitted him and treated his injury and recommended sutures for recovery, before discharging him.
Following Mr. Kugaraj’s complaint, the policeman who assaulted him was arrested and released on bail by the magistrate court on Wednesday.
When contacted, senior DIG Roshan Fernando said based on the department’s investigation of the incident, appropriate action will be taken on the policeman.