GUWAHATI: Senior journalist Dilwar Hussain Mazumdar was arrested late Tuesday night, sparking concerns over press freedom in Assam. Mazumdar, who was covering a protest by the Assam Jatiya Yuva Shakti (AJYS), had sought to speak to Dambaru Saikia, the Managing Director of the Assam Cooperative Apex Bank, over corruption allegations. Saikia invited him into the bank but Mazumdar claims he was intimidated, and his phone was forcibly wiped of video footage.
The charges against Mazumdar are under Sections 351(2) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita read with Section 3(1)(r) of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 (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 Mazumdar strongly denies, are unrelated to the protest he was covering. Instead of registering his complaint against Saikia, Mazumdar 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.
The arrest has prompted backlash from the journalist community, which has condemned the actions as an attack on press freedom. Journalists gathered outside the Panbazar police station to protest, denouncing the arrest as an attempt to silence critical reporting.
Sources indicate that Mazumdar'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, Mazumdar 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.”
In response to the incident, the Guwahati Press Club has called for a protest on Wednesday at 11 AM, urging journalists to unite against what they describe as an alarming misuse of power.