The India Post, Chandigarh, 8th February, 2009 :All the four accused, who had barged inside the Times of India office in sector 8 on Saturday night and beat up the security guard and manhandled journalists were produced before the duty magistrate Sudhir Parmar by the police on Sunday who remanded them to judicial custody.
Thereafter all the accused were sent to Burail Jail.Meanwhile, the magistrate has issued notice for Tuesday on a bail application moved by the accused.Police had arrested four persons namely Akshaydeep Singh, Aspan Lohiya, Savtej Singh and Devender Singh for unlawful trespassing, threatening and hurting TOI staffers.
All were in an inebriated condition at the time of incident and using abusive language inside the TOI office.The accused after entering the office not only manhandled the journalists but had also started hurling abuses.
Police had also impounded a ford icon of the accused in which the goons had arrived.Meanwhile, people from different walks of life have condemned the Saturday’s incident terming it as unfortunate and shocking.
Finance secretary-cum-secretary public relations Sanjay Kumar said that there was a need to deal firmly with such youth by the police. The administration, he added, would ensure that befitting steps is taken against anyone taking law into his hands so that it acts as a deterrent for others.
ML Sarin, senior Advocate, Panjab and Haryana High court said that attacking the people working at their office particularly media persons was a terrible crime and police should take necessary steps to prevent the repeat of such an incident.
Satpal Jain, former MP, Chandigarh and senior advocate, Punjab and Haryana high court termed it very shocking and unfortunate incident of city.
"Law and order situation in the city has worsened and the morals of the criminals got so high that they have now started entering the office of newspapers and attacking staffers."
While condemning the incident, Sarabjeet Pandher, president Chandigarh Press Club said that that police should ensure that the case reached its logical end.
UT home secretary Ram Niwas said the accused would be dealt with strictly and the security of media persons would be taken care of in the city.
Yesterday:
In an unprecedented attack on a mediahouse, four goons, all inebriated, entered The Times of India office in Sector 8-C here on Saturday, and beat up the security guards while manhandling journalists and other staff present on the premises. They didn’t even spare female staff, some of whom they pushed around, chased and abused. The incident also serves as a grim reminder that the city has become quite unsafe for women working late nights. Eyewitnesses said the three main attackers, Akshaydeep Singh, Savtej Singh and Aspan Lohia, all in their twenties, had come inside the office with another person, while their two accomplices stood outside. The chain of incidents started at 11 pm when they misbehaved with TOI staff standing outside the office. They were checked by some colleagues, which seemed to have infuriated them further. When the employees left the spot, the drunk men followed them inside. As security guards tried to stop them, they were attacked. The trio continued to create ruckus inside the office, hurling abuses, beating and shoving the staff as police took some time to reach and guards had to forcibly hold them down. They had arrived in a Ford Ikon bearing registration number CH-03F-3227. The brazen attack has raised a lot of uncomfortable questions about security at mediahouses and institutions. Police arrested four of them and a case under various sections of the IPC was registered.