Guwahati: Protests have erupted across Assam, with journalists leading the charge in condemning the arrest of Dilwar Hussain Mozumder, a senior reporter of The Cross Current.
Journalists in Guwahati marched from the Guwahati Press Club to the Pan Bazar Police Station in protest against Mozumder’s arrest.
Protests have also spread to other parts of the state, including Sibsagar, Jorhat and Dibrugarh highlighting widespread outrage.
The Assam Women Journalists’ Forum has issued a statement condemning Mozumder’s arrest, underscoring concerns for press freedom.
Mozumder was arrested by police on early Wednesday, following his involvement in questioning the Managing Director (MD) of the Assam Cooperative Apex Bank during a protest about alleged financial irregularities.
The protest, led by the Assam Jatiya Parishad’s youth wing, Jatiya Yuva Shakti (JYS), took place in front of the Assam Cooperative Apex Bank Ltd.
The arrest, made after midnight, has ignited outrage among the journalistic community and beyond.
Mozumder was charged under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including criminal intimidation, and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The police stated that the arrest was necessary to prevent him from influencing witnesses or tampering with evidence, despite Mozumder’s claims that he was simply performing his duty as a journalist in seeking transparency regarding the bank’s financial practices.
A complaint filed by a Scheduled Tribe individual accused Mozumder of insulting and offending them during his questioning of the MD.
As a result, the police labelled the offense as cognizable and non-bailable under the relevant sections, leading to the immediate arrest.
The arrest has been widely denounced by media organisations, which view it as an attack on press freedom.
Journalists and activists have organised protests demanding Mozumder’s release, with particular focus on the alleged mistreatment he endured while in custody, including the deletion of a video recording from the protest by the MD’s office.
Mozumder has also alleged coercion to halt the demonstration, further fuelling the outcry.
Political parties, including Congress, Raijor Dal, and Assam Jatiya Parishad, have joined in condemning the arrest and are calling for Mozumder’s immediate release.
