DD journalist killed: Naxals release statement on Dantewada attack, says, 'had no intention to attack media, cameraman killed in ambush'

In a blatant attack on the freedom of Press in the country, a state-run Doordarshan cameraman was killed, along with 2 police personnel in an ambush in Chhattisgarh by the Naxals.

The cameraman Achutyanand Sahu was with his camera crew reporting at the site and they were escorted by the personnel, wherein a ground report was getting prepared about the upcoming Assembly elections, as the first phase of the election is scheduled for 12^th November.

A CRPF officer had earlier said that, “The cameraman, it seems, got trapped in the ambush which the Naxalites had laid for the police and paramilitary personnel carrying out domination exercise. The whole area has been mined and spikes have been laid on roads to attack passers-by.”

Naxals have now released a statement on Dantewada attack, saying 'DD Cameraman Achutyanand Sahu was killed after being caught in the ambush and we had no intention of targeting the media.'

But reverting to the claims by the Maoists, Dantwada SP Abhishek Pallav claims on the recent Naxal attack that, “If it was a genuine mistake and they had no intention to attack the media, then why was camera looted? Because it had recorded evidence of what happened in the first few minutes of targeted media ambush. Multiple bullet wounds and skull fractures on the martyred cameraman in no ways indicates it was by mistake.”

Pallav had earlier said that, “Naxals took away the camera... and dragged the other two (policemen). My constable fought the Naxals. Otherwise, two more media persons could have been harmed. For the past 15 days, media persons were coming to remote villages to report problems of locals. Agitated by this, Naxals attacked them.”

Aso read: Naxal Attack Update: Man who recorded a gut-wrenching video message for his mother not dead;