A media person and Security forces were killed in Chhattisgarh’s Naxal attack which happened on 30th October. Cameraman Achyutanand Sahu, who worked for Doordarshan, went to cover the election campaign of Chhattisgarh with his team.
He was killed in the Dantewada area of Chhattisgarh. Doordarshan team was there for shooting the development work of government in the area. Security forces had assisted them.
Now, Naxals have released a letter claiming that Sahu was killed in an ambush. They said that they had no intention of killing him. The CPI (Maoist), in its statement, also warned media not to visit the Red Corridor area along with the security forces.
“We never attack media intentionally. DD Cameraman Achutyanand Sahu was killed after being caught in the ambush and we had no intention of targeting the media” Secretary of Darbha Division Committee CPI (Maoist), Sainath said in the letter. He also appealed to media persons and officers deployed for elections to visit the area without any security forces. The letter also targeted government saying that Maoists should instead attack Fascist Sangh Pariwar, BJP government and other political parties.
Naxals release a statement on Dantewada attack, saying 'DD Cameraman Achutyanand Sahu was killed after being caught in the ambush and we had no intention of targeting the media.' pic.twitter.com/bAoEQ8ScaS
— ANI (@ANI) November 2, 2018
Senior journalist Hridayesh Joshi has been reporting in Chhattisgarh for a long time. He wrote, “Basic rules should not be ignored while covering a warzone.The media person should not go with a police or security forces in a guerrilla war zone.” He even suggested that use of use of ambush and land mines are main weapons of Maoists.
Chhattisgarh will go to the polls in two phases, first on November 12 and second November 20. The results will be announced on December 11.
