2ND LEAD (ADDS PHOTOS)

SLAF personnel assault Tamil journalist in Colombo

[TamilNet, Thursday, 28 June 2007, 19:42 GMT]
A Tamil staff journalist working for Thinakkural daily was assaulted by a group of airmen after being taken into a Buddhist temple in the High Security Zone in Fort in Colombo around 2:30 p.m., Thursday. He was on his way to cover an event at the nearby Presidential Secretariat.



Later, the airmen handed over the Tamil journalist, Kalimuttu Palamohan, 50, to the Fort Police saying that the journalist was trying to jump at the Air Force Commanders vehicle who was also due to arrive at the Presidential Secretariat.

The working Journalist Association’s Secretary Poddala Jayantha visited the Police station and obtained personal bail for the journalist. Mr. Palamohan who had sustained injuries is being treated at the Colombo national hospital.

The same journalist was intimidated by airmen on Wednesday when he was returning to his office after covering a press conference about the defense situation given by minister Keheliya Rambukwella. The incident took place at Galle face green when the airmen refused accept the Media Accreditation card issued by the Sri Lankan Government.

Recently the Sri Lankan Department of Information wrote to the Inspector General of Police calling the police to accept the media accreditation card issued to journalists as valid document of identity.

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