Police have, however, rubbished the statement, questioning if Sahu wasn’t targeted, why was his camera taken away.
Doordarshan cameraman Achyutananda Sahu (L)(Photo: Facebook | Achyuta Nanda Sahu)
Days after a cameraman of the national broadcaster Doordarshan and three security personnel were killed in an attack by the Naxals in poll-bound Chhattisgarh, the far-left radical group released a statement saying that they had no intention of targeting the cameraman.
“DD Cameraman Achutyanand Sahu was killed after being caught in the ambush and we had no intention of targeting the media,” the statement released on Thursday read.
Police have, however, rubbished the statement, questioning if Sahu wasn’t targeted, why was his camera taken away.
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Reacting to the statement, Dantewada SP Abhishek Pallav said the camera was looted as it had recorded evidence of what happened in the first few minutes of targeted media ambush.
The police officer further stated that multiple bullet wounds and skull fractures on the martyred cameraman in no way indicated that the attack had happened by mistake.
Naxals had attacked the Doordarshan TV crew early on Tuesday morning during an election coverage in which cameraperson Achyutananda Sahu was killed.
Read | Naxals attack Doordarshan crew, kill cameraman, 2 cops in Chhattisgarh
On Wednesday, a video had surfaced which showed a lighting assistant trying to record and send a message to his mother as the sound of gunfire and explosions boomed in the background.
Thinking that those were his last moments, Mormukut Sharma shared his heart-wrenching ordeal while the attack was underway. Fortunately, he survived the attack.
Read | In video shot during Naxal attack, Doordarshan crew member recorded a message for his mother
The ultras have called upon voters to boycott the assembly polls, scheduled to be held in two phases next month.
The first phase of polls will be held on November 12 covering 18 constituencies across eight Naxal-affected districts namely Bastar, Kanker Sukma, Bijapur, Dantewada, Narayanpur, Kondagaon and Rajnandgaon.
The remaining 72 constituencies will go to polls on November 20.
The counting of votes will be taken up on December 11.
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