In a brazen assault on the media, Tata Group's securitymen thrashed photojournalists outside Bombay House, the company's HQ. Mid-day's Atul Kamble is among three who sustained injuries
mid-day photographer Atul Kamble (in black)
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Private security personnel employed by Tata Sons on Friday afternoon assaulted press photographers covering ousted chairman Cyrus Mistry’s arrival at the company’s headquarters, Bombay House.
The photographers were present to cover Mistry’s arrival for a board meeting of Indian Hotels, one of the group companies he still helms.
Atul Kamble
Among those assaulted were mid-day photographer Atul Kamble, the Hindustan Times’s Arijit Sen and the Business Standard’s Suryakant Niwate.
The three photographers were admitted to St George Hospital for treatment and medical tests.
The police are in the process of recording their statements, following which a First Information Report will be filed against the accused.
Journalists and the Mumbai Press Club strongly condemned the brutal attack on the photographers who were performing their duty and demanded the immediate arrest of the security personnel of Tata Sons.
mid-day photojournalist Atul Kamble was attacked by security thugs. Pic/PTI
"The Mumbai Press Club does not expect a corporate house like the Tatas to indulge in violent practices against media persons, and demands explanation from the corporate authorities who allowed security personnel to take this extreme step," said a Press Club statement. "We have also expressed our serious concerns to the state’s political leadership and city police top brass."
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Digging in his heels after being ousted as Chairman of Tata Sons, Mistry plans to continue in his current role at Tata group firms, including Tata Steel, TCS and Tata Motors, where he is Chairman. Sources close to Mistry have said he has no plans to quit as Chairman of these firms. "He will discharge his fiduciary duty as required by law in all his positions in the Tata group," a source close to Mistry had said.