GUWAHATI: The journalist fraternity in Guwahati, under the aegis of the Guwahati Press Club, staged an angry protest on Wednesday, March 26, demanding the release of senior journalist Dilwar Hussain Mozumder. Mozumder was arrested late on Tuesday night by the Panbazar police and was detained at the police station for several hours.
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The protest at the Guwahati Press Club and outside saw heightened tensions as a large contingent of police allegedly attempted to block and restrict demonstrators, further fuelling outrage among media professionals. The protesters then marched to the CJM court where they held a sit-in.
The arrest has drawn sharp criticism from the press fraternity, with many viewing it as an attempt to intimidate journalists.
"The detention of a journalist for merely performing his duty is deeply concerning. We urge the authorities to release him at the earliest and ensure that press freedom is upheld," the Guwahati Press Club stated.
As calls for Mozumder’s release grow louder, media organisations and civil rights groups continue to demand transparency from the police, raising concerns over the safety of journalists in Assam.
Mozumder, who was covering a protest by the Assam Jatiya Yuva Shakti (AJYS) against alleged corruption in the Assam Cooperative Apex Bank had asked questions of Managing Director, Dambaru Saikia. Saikia invited him into the bank but Mozumder claims he was intimidated, and his phone was forcibly wiped of video footage. He then proceeded to Panbazar Police Station to lodge a complaint, but was detained there.
The charges against Mozumder are under Sections 351(2) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita read with Section 3(1)(r) of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 2015 (Section 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) deals with criminal intimidation, specifically addressing threats to cause death, grievous hurt, property destruction, or other serious harm. Section 3(1)(r) of the SC/St Act criminalises intentional insults or intimidation of members of these communities in public.
These charges, which Mozumder strongly denies, are unrelated to the protest he was covering. Instead of registering his complaint against Saikia, Mozumder was detained for several hours without explanation. During this time, his family, lawyer, and fellow journalists were not allowed to meet him. The cause of his detention was not revealed until midnight, when he was formally arrested.
Sources indicate that Mozumder's family, unaware of his detention, was unable to deliver his essential medication for diabetes during his time in police custody. In a message relayed later through his wife, Mozumder stated: “I am being harassed simply for standing by the truth. Today, it’s me—tomorrow, it could be someone else. We must all rise and protest against this injustice.”