Emmy Lawbei, a Mizo journalist, was at the Assam-Mizoram border to report the protest by Mizo Zarlai Pawl (MZP) — a student body in Mizoram. Lawbei sustained grievous injuries on her shoulder and back as she was baton-charged by the Assam police. She took to her social media accounts to vent her outrage over the incident. Her Facebook post mentions how the members of the Assam police force continued to beat them even after they clarified that they were journalists and not protestors.
In two days, Assam police have brutally attacked 6 journalists. On Tuesday, police enforced prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPc with immediate effect at Hailakandi district in Assam. Tensions have been prevailing in the area ever since some members of MZP entered Assam and erected a working shed along with a temporary check-post. The shed and checkpoint were both later dismantled by the state police personnel.
After September 2017, when two journalists were shot dead in Tripura, concerns on the safety of the scribes has become a paramount issue. This incident has again put a question on the freedom of press in the region.
