Journalist Tilak Purkayastha assaulted by security guard at SMCH; Principal allegedly exhibit callous attitude

way2barak, Nov.11: In a surprising incident, journalist Biswa Kalyan Purkayastha (Tilak) was physically assaulted by security personnel deployed at the Maternity Ward of Silchar Medical College & Hospital (SMCH). The incident occurred on Saturday night when journalist Tilak Purkayastha went to see his sister-in-law who gave birth to a baby on Friday.

Narrating the ordeal, Tilak Pukayastha said, “I went to the maternity ward of SMCH to give some food items to my sister-in-law who gave birth to a baby yesterday. All of a sudden, the home guard posted there started to hurl abuses towards me. I was really at a loss to understand why was the security personnel using such slang words against me. It was then that I politely asked him not to use such type of slang words. At this, he became much more furious. I revealed to him that that I am a journalist and had gone there to serve food to my relative. Before I could could finish my words, the security personnel suddenly attacked me with his ‘lathi’ and started to beat me left and right.”

The security personnel alleged to have been physically assaulted Tilak Purkayastha was identified as S.Deb. The Home Guard who assaulted Tilak Purkayastha boldly said, “I am Principal’s man. I am mot scared of anybody else.” Jounalist Purkayastha said, “If this happens with a scribe, just imagine what ordeal is faced by the common people at SMCH!”

“I immediately rang the Principal and Superintendent of SMCH. However, both of them said that tomorrow is Sunday and asked me to lodge a complaint on Monday. Such kind of irresponsible response from them was not only surprising but also unbecoming for personsat the helm of power. I told them that I won’t wait till Monday and rather I am lodging the complaint over telephone. But I failed to get any satisfactory response from them. I also informed the Superintendent of Police when I got negative response from the SMCH authorities, who was kind enough to extend all possible help,” narrated Tilak Purkayastha.

He then went to SM Dev Civil Hospital and got the check up done by the doctors over there. Meanwhile, the Police Super and OC of Silchar Sadar Police Station reached SMCH. Many other journalists also reached the Civil Hospital. The Police Super assured to investigate the matter on a war footing.

The incident has given rise to some very pertinent and germane issues. Is the security personnel posted at various wards of SMCH entitled to physically abuse the visitors of patients? Why was the security guard so confident that he in a damn care attitude proclaimed to be the Principal’s man? Is the Principal of SMCH shielding such erring persons? How can the Principal and Superintendent be so callous to ask the victim to lodge a complaint 48 hours later?

Expressing his gratitude to media fraternity, Tilak Purkayastha said, “I am so humbled by today’s unconditional support from every esteemed colleague. It was a dark day for SMCH, rather a day where we witnessed the actual dark side of SMCH. I thank everyone for being always there, I don’t have words to express my gratitude.”

It is the media who during the Covid phase hailed the health staff as Covid warriors. Now surprisingly , the scribes are assaulted inside SMCH and the authorities ask them to wait till Monday to lodge a formal complaint! Was not the Principal and the Superintendent duty- bound to come to the maternity ward immediately to sort out the matter? Indeed, if such be the attitude of SMCH towards a leading journalist, just imagine what ordeal the common people would be facing at SMCH!!!