Pratidin Time Journalists Detained in Udalguri While Reporting on Gir Cows

Pratidin Time journalist Musaddiq Hussain and cameraperson Babu Riyan were detained and threatened by locals in Batabari village under Bhergaon Police Station, Udalguri, while reporting on a story related to alleged illegal possession of Gir cows.

The duo had gone to the village on an assignment to investigate leads about suspected illegal cattle trade. Acting on directions from Pratidin Time Editor-in-Chief Nitumoni Saikia, the journalist reached Batabari following reports of Gir cows being held unlawfully.

Narrating the ordeal, Hussain said: “We had credible information about Gir cows being kept illegally in Bhergaon. So, I came to Batabari. Initially, there was no one at Prasanna Rabha’s house, so we moved ahead and spotted some Gir cows grazing in a nearby field. I approached two men nearby and asked if they were Gir cows—they confirmed they were. That’s when I asked my cameraman to take some visuals.”

However, when the team returned to Rabha’s house to verify the information, the situation escalated. “While I was speaking to a person at the house, two others suddenly arrived and demanded we delete the footage, questioning what we were doing there,” Hussain said. “Soon, they confined us inside, threatened us, and held us for over two hours.”

Allegations Point to Illegal Relocation of Cattle

Sources say the Gir cows were previously under the possession of a man surnamed Sarania from Goreswar, and were later shifted to Prasanna Rabha’s residence—raising questions about a possible illegal cattle transport or trade network.

The journalists were reportedly obstructed and intimidated by Rabha’s family when they tried to verify these allegations on the ground.

Sharp Condemnation from Press Bodies

The incident has drawn strong condemnation from the Assam Union of Working Journalists (AUWJ) and the Northeast Media Forum, who have termed it a brazen assault on press freedom and an attempt to silence factual reporting.

AUWJ President Madhusudan Medhi and Northeast Media Forum Coordinator Mukut Raj Sharma jointly condemned the act, stating: “Threatening and confining journalists while on duty not only endangers their lives but also strikes at the very heart of a free and democratic press. We demand immediate action and adequate protection for journalists who risk their lives to report the truth.”

Local police later intervened and rescued the journalist and cameraperson from the location. 

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