Bihar: Scribe abused, forced into van, driven around after accident

Patna: A fortnight after the killing of a journalist in Bihar, a senior employee of a leading English daily was driven around the city and allegedly roughed up inside a moving vehicle after his office vehicle collided with another car in Patna late last night.

Distribution Executive of "Telegraph" Rakesh Kumar Singh, was pushed inside the MUV of the attackers, roughed up while being driven around the city to force him to pay for the damages caused to the car belonging to the attackers, Senior Superintendent of Police Manu Maharaj said.

Singh was let off after his colleagues, who were with him, started making frantic calls to the police.

The vehicle in which the four attackers was travelling has been identified and two persons have been held while search is on for others, the SSP said.

A Sub Inspector posted at Shashtri Nagar police station has been suspended for dereliction of duty in connection with the incident, Maharaj said.

The collision took place in busy Raja Bazar area under Shastri Nagar police station and a case has been registered with the police station in this connection, he said.

Mediapersons have strongly protested roughing up of Singh in the heart of the city which has come close on the heels of the murder of Siwan-based journalist Rajdeo Ranjan earlier this month.