He thrashed journalists Dambar Adhikari and Omkar Acharya, who had reached the government quarters of chief of the District Public Health Office Dr Sushil Nath Pyakurel for reporting. [break]
“Dr Pyakurel called us to his residence for his comments. Ghimire lambasted us immediately after we reached the doctor´s residence, accusing us of being there to demand money,” Adhikari said. He added that Ghimire attacked the journalists in the passage way even as they were returning after talking with Pyakurel.
“He continued to utter profanities even after we managed to escape the quarters,” Acharya said. The duo claimed that the assistant CDO also tried to ram them with his motorcycle (Na 6 Pa 1278). “He nearly hit us with his speeding motorcycle after we left the quarters.
He again started to mouth profanities, stopping the motorcycle in front of us and saying he would knock us into shape,” added Acharya, who is secretary of the Federation of Nepalese Journalists, Tanahu chapter.
Adhikari lodged a complaint at the District Administration Office (DAO) on Wednesday, demanding action against the assistant CDO. CDO Rudra Prasad Poudel, expressing sorrow over misbehavior to journalists by a responsible officer, said he would investigate the matter.
Ghimire, on his part, insisted that he was just intervening verbally when the journalists demanded money from the doctor in his (Ghimire´s) presence. “I just told them not to ask for money in front of me. Dambar Adhikari pounced on me after I said that,” Ghimire added and claimed he has a bruise on his left cheek from Adhikari´s assault.
Various journalist-related associations have slammed the attack on media persons and they organized a protest rally in Damauli in the afternoon.
Meanwhile, police in Nepalgunj arrested 21-year-old Santosh Bam of Nepalgunj-7, Ramnagar on Wednesday for attacking Bheri FM journalist Tirtha Raj Jaishi. Bam attacked Jaishi near Rani Talau on Tuesday when the latter was on his way to work, and also took away his media equipment.
Related story
Services closed for a week after assistant CDO tests positive f...
