New Delhi, Dec 29: The Editors Guild of India (EGI)is deeply disturbed by the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) by the Kerala police against a reporter of the television channel 24 News in connection with her coverage of a students’ protest on December 10 that resulted in shoes being hurled at a bus carrying the chief minister and some of his cabinet colleagues.
“It has been brought to our notice that the police in Kuruppampady have charged the reporter Vinitha V.G. for criminal conspiracy under section 120B and issued her a notice to appear for interrogation,” a statement read.
“While the Editors Guild does not condone any act of violence, it deplores in strongest words the police action against the reporter. To cover protests is a media responsibility and is no crime. A reporter’s presence at a protest site does not make him or her complicit in any untoward incident that may have occurred.”
The Editors Guild of India urged the Government of Kerala to desist from punishing the reporter for discharging her professional duty. “ It would do well to instruct the police to withdraw the charges against the reporter, and uphold norms of press freedom.”