Scuffle before Tata HQ: Press Club demands guards’ arrest

The Mumbai Press Club on Friday condemned the attack on the photojournalists by private securitymen before the Tata group headquarters Bombay House here on Friday and demanded arrest of the guards involved in the scuffle.

“We strongly condemn the brutal attack on news photographers at the Bombay House,” Press Club secretary Dharmendra Jore said in a statement.

“We demand immediate arrest of the security personnel who beat up the reporters at the Tata Group headquarters, who were involved in a shameful act of violence against the professionals from various media houses who were performing their duty this afternoon,” Jore said. The attack followed a scuffle as the ousted chairman Cyrus Mistry arrived to chair the board meeting of Indian Hotels, that runs the group’s Taj brand of hotels to approve the second quarter earnings.

The scuffle started as soon as Mistry, who is the chairman of IHCL, arrived at the Tata group headquarters to chair the board meeting, and standing photographers went beyond the cordoned off area to click his pictures. Three photojournalists from Times of India, Mid-Day and the Hindustan Times were allegedly beaten by the guards, and are in hospital now.

“The Press Club does not expect a corporate house like the Tatas to indulge in violent practices against the media persons. We demand explanation from the corporate authorities who allowed their security to take this extreme step,” the statement said.