Aagya Khabar
Janakpur

Journalists staged a protest in Janakpur on Sunday, demanding the arrest and legal action against lawyers involved in the recent attack on media personnel.

Under the leadership of the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ), Dhanusha Chapter, the journalists staged a sit-in in front of the Dhanusha District Administration Office from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. They raised their voices against the administration carrying placards with slogans such as “Take action against the attackers,” “Ensure safety for journalists,” and “Protect press freedom.”

Accusing the local administration of showing no concern over the incident, the protesters also shouted slogans like “Down with the local administration,” “Stop the hooliganism of lawyers,” and “Uphold the rule of law.”

On August 11, during an effort to secure four katthas of land leased from the Guthi Sansthan, several lawyers, including officials of the Nepal Bar Association Janakpur chapter, allegedly attacked journalists. FNJ Province Chair Shyam Banjara, Vice Chair Jyoti Jha, General Secretary Shailendra Mahato ‘Kranti,’ and journalists Diwakar Ray, Binita Yadav, and Anil Nirala were injured in the incident.

Although a formal complaint was filed on August 12 against five lawyers, the police have not arrested them, prompting the journalists to launch their agitation. The FNJ has repeatedly urged authorities to take action against the guilty.

The FNJ Madhesh Province Committee had leased the land from the Guthi Sansthan for an annual fee of NPR 301,000 to construct its office building. However, the Nepal Bar Association Janakpur chapter allegedly attempted to encroach on the land illegally, leading to the dispute.