A News7 Tamil reporter in Tamil Nadu’s Tiruppur was attacked with “sickles and knives” by a group of unidentified men on Wednesday night. According to The News Minute, the group slashed Nesaprabhu leaving severe injuries.

Nesaprabhu has worked with News7 Tamil for seven years. He had recently reported on illegal liquor sales at Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation outlets in Tiruppur, TNM said.

Importantly, News7 Tamil reported that Nesaprabhu had informed the police hours before that he was being “followed” by unknown persons. The police control room then got in touch with the Kamanaickenpalayam police. However, the Kamanaickenpalayam police asked him to visit the police station to file a written complaint. 

Just before 9 pm on January 24, when he was on the phone with the police near a petrol bunk, he was allegedly surrounded by vehicles and attacked. TNM reported that the reporter had been “screaming” on the phone minutes before the attack.

The Hindu reported that Nesaprabhu suffered “severe injuries on his left hand, besides suffering multiple cuts on head, chest and leg”. The police arrived soon after and rushed him to a hospital in Palladam. He was then shifted to a private hospital in Coimbatore where he’s presently in the ICU.

The Tamil news channel roundly condemned the police for its alleged inaction. The superintendent of police, Tiruppur district, later said special forces had been formed to investigate the attack. The police also obtained CCTV footage from a petrol bunk nearby.

Newslaundry has reported on how journalist unions in Tamil Nadu want a law to protect mediapersons. Attacks on journalists are often not reported by the media, and delays in attaining justice act as barriers for journalists in pursuing cases. Read our report here.

This report was published with AI assistance.