PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE /Dehradun
Police have taken two accused into custody while one is absconding for allegedly assaulting journalist Hem Bhatt on Friday evening near MKP Chowk in Dehradun. The incident occurred when he was returning home and noticed that an unknown Scooty was following him. Bhatt claimed that when he reached near MKP Chowk, the trio came in front of his vehicle and attacked him.
During interrogation, both accused stated that on the Friday evening, they had taken a lift on a Scooty from Sameer, resident of Mehuwala, near Inamullah building, to go towards Race Course Road. They claimed that despite honking, the complainant did not give way to their vehicle. As a result, on the road leading to Race Course, they allegedly placed their vehicle in front of the complainant’s vehicle and stopped him. An argument followed over this issue, which then turned into a physical altercation. The three accused have been identified as Mohammed Kaif (21), Mohammed Tabish (20) and last absconding Sameer. Bhatt had filed a complaint at Dalanwala police station after the incident. He also stated that before this incident, his Facebook page had disappeared. He had reportedly received an email from Meta stating that his page/channel was taken down because some news content was allegedly disturbing law and order.
Regarding the incident, Bhatt said that he felt someone was following him from near MKP Chowk and shouting something. Near the Gurudwara, a boy came speeding on a Scooty. The trio on the two-wheeler allegedly abused him and one of them grabbed his collar. When he asked what the matter was, they did not listen. Two punches landed on his face and he was also hit elsewhere. The entire incident happened within one minute. Bhatt said he felt his life was in danger and believed that if they had a weapon, they could have killed him.
Some people stopped seeing the incident and some bystanders also made videos though nobody intervened. When the attackers noticed that people had gathered, they fled from the spot. Bhatt then called a few of his colleagues and went to the Government Doon Medical College hospital for a medical examination. He suffered a tear on his mouth where five stitches were applied.
