2 weeks Ago
Chennai: A photo journalist from The Times of India , covering the encroachment removal on the Besant Nagar beach , was targeted, abused and manhandled by the encroachers. The large posse of police personnel did little to prevent the abuse. Worse, when this correspondent took the incident to the knowledge of R Ponkarthik Kumar, deputy commissioner of police, Adyar, he replied: "You (TOI) raked up the issue .
.. and won't they be agitated? You should not have gone there (near the protestors).
We did our job in protecting the GCC officials." However, responding to the DCP's tepid response to the reporter, Chennai city commissioner of police A Arun said, "I will conduct an inquiry. If this is true, we will not take it lightly.
" Earlier in the day, TOI's photo editor L R Shankar was gheraoed by around 20 belligerent encroachers, mostly women, who obstructed the encroachment removal operation on the beach near Arupadai Veedu Murugan Temple. They pulled at his shirt, bag and tried to snatch away DSLR camera, even as the police and GCC officials watched. One man came and held the journalist by his collar and shouted, "you took the photo of the construction last time.
It is because of you this is happening.".
