Journalists have even warned of intensifying their protest programs from Friday, if the police administration does not take immediate action against Basnet. [break]
Basnet, who mobilized hooligans to brutally thrash Republica and Nagarik correspondent Khilanath Dhakal on Sunday night, is still at large.
“We will be forced to announce a nationwide agitation if the police fails to nab the culprits,” said Mohan Kaji Neupane, eastern regional coordinator of Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ), “The delay in arresting the accused has raised suspicion that the criminals have a close nexus with the police.”
Meanwhile, DIG Singh has assured journalists that the accused would be nabbed at any cost. “It is only a matter of time. We will arrest the accused sooner or later,” Singh journalists.
FNJ General Secretary Om Sharma, who led the journalists´ delegation for submitting the memorandum, said many journalists would not be able to work in an environment free from fear if the state allows the criminals go scot free. Meanwhile, a three-member team of the FNJ, headed by Sharma, on Thursday initiated an investigation into the attack on Dhakal.
Meanwhile, despite the pressure mounting on the police to nab the prime accused, local CPN (UML) leaders, especially CPN (UML) Morang president Binod Dhakal and the party´s organization chief Rishi Kesh Pokhrel, have thrown their lot behind Basnet.
“Since Basnet was not on the spot where Dhakal was beaten, we think that he was not involved in the case,” Pokhrel said. However, a majority of local CPN (UML) leaders are in favor of taking action against Basnet.
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