Several journalists were attacked while covering protests in India’s West Bengal state in mid-January, highlighting serious risks faced by reporters covering public unrest.
On January 16, journalist Soma Maity of broadcaster Zee 24 Ghanta and her cameraman were assaulted by a mob while reporting from Beldanga town in Murshidabad district. According to Maity, who later spoke with the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), multiple men physically attacked her, pulling her hair, restraining her, and tearing at her clothing. Others groped her during the assault. Her cameraman was also attacked and suffered head injuries that required hospitalization.
The following day, January 17, two more journalists were targeted in the same area. Parthapratim Ghosh, a reporter with ABP Ananda, and Ujjwal Ghosh, a photojournalist, were attacked while covering road blockades linked to the protests. Witnesses reported that protesters chased the journalists, beat them, tried to seize their cameras, and ordered them to stop filming.
The attacks occurred amid escalating protests after the body of a migrant worker from Beldanga was found in neighboring Jharkhand under suspicious circumstances. The victim’s family claimed he had been killed, triggering widespread anger. Demonstrations quickly intensified into road and rail blockades and clashes with police, creating a volatile environment in which journalists were targeted.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee faced criticism after advising journalists to avoid volatile situations and stating that the incidents were beyond her control. Media organizations and civil society groups argued that such statements risk shifting responsibility away from the authorities’ obligation to protect the press.
Murshidabad Police Superintendent Kumar Sunny Raj told CPJ that police are investigating two separate cases related to the attacks and that several individuals have been detained for questioning.
At Free Press Alliance, we condemn the violent attacks against journalists in West Bengal and stress that no reporter should face assault, sexual violence, or intimidation for doing their job. Journalists must be able to cover protests and public events safely, and authorities have a duty to ensure accountability and protection for media workers.