Sabarimala protest: Camerawomen who was attacked by ''Sangh Parivar'' in protest

A day after the havoc caused by a section of people protesting against two women having darshan at Sabarimala, the photo of a cameraperson working with a television channel, which appeared in a newspaper, caught the eye of everyone. It even went viral. Shaajila Ali Fathima, a dedicated cameraperson, courageously continued shooting a Sangh Parivar protest in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday even after she was attacked by its violent participants. Shaajila, who was injured on her collar muscle and the back of her neck, says that the mob first threatened her before attacking her from behind. “I was covering the march. Suddenly, a group of protesters turned to the flex boards erected near the road and started vandalising them. I was shooting them when some of them turned towards me quite unexpectedly, and started threatening me. As a journalist, I had experienced harsh words, but I never expected them to kick me.”

After talking to the BJP leaders who have been on a hunger strike in front of the secretariat for more than three weeks, Shaajila was about to go back to the office. On her way, she saw the mob and that’s when the attack occurred. Shajila says she has been handling the camera for the past five years, since she moved to Thiruvananthapuram, and has covered many marches and protests, but never had such an experience. “I had seen protests turning violent and protesters manhandling male journalists, but I had never faced any problem other than shouts and threats. So, when they kicked me from behind, I was numb for a moment. I was not sad, but desperate to continue shooting. But unfortunately, my camera’s battery malfunctioned and I could not complete what I was doing. I missed lots of crucial visuals.” Before going to the hospital, she headed to the office as her first preference was her job. Shaajila feels she was purposefully targeted by the mob and it was not a random attack. “It was planned; that’s what I feel
because I could hear them shouting the name of my organisation before turning to me.”

Since she started the job in 2013, she has covered many Assembly sessions, political violence and the Kerala floods. “But I will never forget that attack,” Shaajila says. “Politicians should ensure the safety of mediapersons and the public on the ground,” she adds. Shaajila is hoping to get well soon so that she could rejoin duty. “At the moment, I have been asked to take rest for some time and I am hopeful that I can get back to the office soon.”