Reporter to www.nepalpress.com (an online news portal), Sher Bahadur Thapa was manhandled while reporting in Dailekh on February 5. Dailekh lies in the Karnali Province of Nepal.
Talking to Freedom Forum, Thapa said that he had been reporting on the irregularities at the Mahabu rural municipality and on the day of incident too, Thapa had reached the rural municipality office for reporting. Meanwhile, son of municipality's vice-chair Prem Kumari Budha, Dhruba Budha attacked reporter Thapa.
On our question for reason of attack, reporter said, "Though I do not know the reason, I
think he might have attacked me because of my news reportings."
However, Police arrested Budha and released a day later after Budha apologized to the reporter Thapa for his misbehaviour.
Freedom Forum appreciates Nepal police action in response to the attack upon journalist. Attacking journalists on-duty in the public office is the severe violation of press freedom and right to information. Hence, FF urges the municipal authority to take the issue seriously and ensure free reporting atmosphere for journalists in future.