Reporter TV office attacked allegedly over reports against Rahul Mamkootathil
Follow TNM's WhatsApp channel for news updates and story links. Congress workers in Kerala’s Thrissur attacked the office of Malayalam news channel Reporter TV on Friday, August 29, allegedly in retaliation to the channel’s reports on suspended Congress leader and Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil. The workers shouted slogans against the channel and its reporters, and poured black oil over posters bearing its logo.Reporter TV condemned the attack as a strike against press freedom and lodged a complaint with the police as well as the Chief Minister of Kerala.The controversy began after Reporter TV aired multiple audio clips linked to allegations of sexual misconduct against Rahul Mamkootathil. On August 21, the channel broadcast a clip with a male voice, purportedly Rahul’s, chastising a woman for not terminating her pregnancy. Hours later, Rahul resigned as president of the Kerala Youth Congress. On August 25, the Congress dismissed him from the party. Footage aired by the channel shows purported Youth Congress members placing their party flag on a Reporter TV vehicle, shouting slogans, and later pouring black oil on a poster at the office entrance. Reporter TV said its journalists had earlier received threats from Congress workers that the office would be attacked if Rahul was forced to step down. “Some members who support Rahul carried out this act. Not everyone in the Congress supports it. We learned that apart from a few young leaders, not even the senior leaders within the party support this,” said Dr Arun Kumar, editor of Reporter TV.According to the channel, those involved in the attack included Youth Congress state general secretary Mithun Mohan, Thrissur district vice president Vishnu Chandran, Thrissur Assembly president K Sumesh, and other members including Sourag, Nikhil Dev, and Amal James.
Follow TNM's WhatsApp channel for news updates and story links.
CONGRESS workers in Thrissur attacked the office of Malayalam news channel Reporter TV on Friday, August 29, allegedly in retaliation for the channel’s reports on suspended Congress leader and Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil.
The workers shouted slogans against the channel and its reporters, and poured black oil over posters bearing its logo.
Reporter TV condemned the attack as a strike against press freedom and complained to the police as well as the Chief Minister of Kerala.
The controversy began after Reporter TV aired multiple audio clips linked to allegations of sexual misconduct against Rahul Mamkootathil.
On August 21, the channel broadcast a clip with a male voice, purportedly Rahul’s, chastising a woman for not terminating her pregnancy. Hours later, Rahul resigned as president of the Kerala Youth Congress. On August 25, the Congress dismissed him from the party.
Footage aired by the channel shows purported Youth Congress members placing their party flag on a Reporter TV vehicle, shouting slogans, and later pouring black oil on a poster at the office entrance.
Reporter TV said its journalists had earlier received threats from Congress workers that the office would be attacked if Rahul was forced to step down.
“Some members who support Rahul carried out this act. Not everyone in Congress supports it. We learned that apart from a few young leaders, not even the senior leaders within the party support this,” said Dr Arun Kumar, editor of Reporter TV.
According to the channel, those involved in the attack included Youth Congress state general secretary Mithun Mohan, Thrissur district vice president Vishnu Chandran, Thrissur Assembly president K Sumesh, and other members, including Sourag, Nikhil Dev and Amal James.
