A row in the Border Security Force (BSF) headquarters in Umpling led to a journalist being violently assaulted by a man described as being a BSF officer.
Details are still sketchy but the journalist in question was Raju Das, the experienced Shillong-based scribe who works for the Assam Tribune. He and other journalists were present when a blistering row broke out between the officer and another man (perhaps a civilian). This supposed officer called on other BSF personnel to remove the civilian from the premises.
At this point Das whipped out his phone to make a video recording of the incident and the officer then turned his wrath on the journalist, first knocking the phone out of Das’s hand before striking him with full force over the head with the device several times.
The assaulter was not in uniform at the time of the incident. However, uniformed BSF personnel dragged him away from Das and tried to restrain him. Video published on Batesi TV’s YouTube channel showed the same officer trying to grab the service rifle of a BSF jawan, supposedly with the intent of threatening or even shooting Das or the civilian he had been rowing with.
Das was able to walk away from the incident.
The Shillong Press Club reached out to the BSF and the officer was reportedly summoned by the BSF Inspector General to make an apology to Das.
