Attack on journalist Shankar: Video of recce by Congress activists goes viral
Condemning the attack, BRS working president KTR said, "Attack on media means attack on democracy itself. The culture of factional attacks has started in Telangana."
HYDERABAD: In the ongoing investigations into the attack on independent journalist Chelamala Shankar, editor of Telugu news website Newsline, CCTV footage of a Congress leader Sairam Reddy has emerged where he is seen conducting a recce in front of Shankar's office a day before the attack.
Apart from the CCTV footage, social media is now flooded with images of Sairam with Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and Rural Development Minister Seethakka.
The BRS party has strongly criticised the attack and condemned the violence against journalists for questioning the Telangana Congress Government. In a post on X, BRS working president KT Rama Rao (KTR) wrote, "Attack on media means attack on democracy itself. The culture of factional attacks has started in Telangana. Journalist friends, people who believe in democracy and journalist associations should force the Chief Minister to respond and take appropriate measures immediately in this regard."
Reacting to the videos of Sairam, BRS leader and former MLA Balka Suman asked "Congress thugs are behind the attack on Shankar. If anyone questions with letters, will you attack with weapons? Is this Indiramma Rajyam?"
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Former BRS MLA Kranthi Kiran too condemned the attack and questioned,"If anyone reports on failures of the Congress Government, the party leaders are attacking them. Within three months of the formation of this Government, there have been attacks on journalists and BRS leaders. However, no such incident took place during 10 years of BRS' rule. The accused behind the attack should be severely punished."
Meanwhile, the LB Nagar police, under whose limits the attack took place, have filed a case against the family of two women who were involved in hitting Shankar under various sections. However, the police still maintain that there is no evidence to support claims of involvement of the Congress in the journalist's assault.