An Assam journalist who was attacked near Guwahati last week has said that his attackers "wanted to kill him".
Milan Mahanta, the journalist in question, told NDTV: "They wanted to kill me, I guess. I had written a series of reports against them. They also tried to attack people who came forward to save me. It has been three days since the incident yet police never came to my home to ask for details."
Mahanta was attacked by a group of people on November 15, the Sentinel reported. He had been tied to an electric pole and "beat up mercilessly". According to the report, Mahanta filed an FIR stating that a "gambling den" comprising three men had "struck him with sharp weapons", tied him to the pole, beat him, and also "snatched his gold chain". The attack reportedly took place in the middle of a busy road in broad daylight.
Mahanta told the Print that he had been attacked for reporting on local gambling and land-grabbing.
"The accused kept telling me that they have been waiting to teach me a lesson and use me as an example for anyone who dares to write about them," the Print quoted him as saying. "They came with all the arrangements… They kept a car idling nearby to take me away and dump my body after lynching me. This was an attempt to kill me but it was foiled as the local residents interfered."
A case has been filed under the Palasbari police station. One person has been arrested so far.
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