Journalists 'egged on' suicide victim
From correspondents in New Delhi
August 17, 2006 12:17am
Article from: Agence France-Presse
INDIAN TV journalists keen for a story encouraged a protester to burn himself to death, giving him matches and fuel, a report quoting police in India said.
The journalists in the eastern state of Bihar kept the cameras rolling as Manoj Mishra, who was demanding back pay, suffered 90 per cent burns to his body, The Indian Express newspaper said.
Police later filed a case against the journalists, accusing them of abetting suicide, the daily said.
The newspaper report did not name the journalists or say how many were involved.
The TV crew coaxed Mr Mishra into setting himself on fire and even supplied him with matches and diesel fuel, Gaya district police chief Amit Jain said.
“The media people fully knew the intention of the man and still allowed him to proceed with his plan to commit suicide and went on shooting the scene,” Mr Jain was quoted as saying.
“No attempt was made by the media persons to save the man and it was only after some dairy staff saw the fire and smoke billowing from the man's body that the rescue work began.”
Mr Mishra was staging the protest outside his employer, a state-run dairy company, to press for 200,000 rupees ($5,690) back pay he said he was due.
However, the dairy was shut because it was India's Independence Day public holiday.
“By the time a security guard rushed in to save him, it was too late,” a police officer said.
Mr Mishra was pronounced dead on arrival at hospital.
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,20156707-1702,00.html
From correspondents in New Delhi
August 17, 2006 12:17am
Article from: Agence France-Presse
INDIAN TV journalists keen for a story encouraged a protester to burn himself to death, giving him matches and fuel, a report quoting police in India said.
The journalists in the eastern state of Bihar kept the cameras rolling as Manoj Mishra, who was demanding back pay, suffered 90 per cent burns to his body, The Indian Express newspaper said.
Police later filed a case against the journalists, accusing them of abetting suicide, the daily said.
The newspaper report did not name the journalists or say how many were involved.
The TV crew coaxed Mr Mishra into setting himself on fire and even supplied him with matches and diesel fuel, Gaya district police chief Amit Jain said.
“The media people fully knew the intention of the man and still allowed him to proceed with his plan to commit suicide and went on shooting the scene,” Mr Jain was quoted as saying.
“No attempt was made by the media persons to save the man and it was only after some dairy staff saw the fire and smoke billowing from the man's body that the rescue work began.”
Mr Mishra was staging the protest outside his employer, a state-run dairy company, to press for 200,000 rupees ($5,690) back pay he said he was due.
However, the dairy was shut because it was India's Independence Day public holiday.
“By the time a security guard rushed in to save him, it was too late,” a police officer said.
Mr Mishra was pronounced dead on arrival at hospital.
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,20156707-1702,00.html
