“When I told the assailants that my name is Khurshid and I am a journalist, they began thrashing me more viciously. They kept saying, “this is Modi’s media, it doesn’t show us,” and continued beating me without pausing to listen. My head was bludgeoned with an iron rod and brick for about two minutes. Had they continued for another minute, I would have died on spot,” said Khurshid Ahmad, who reports for ETV India from Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut district.

Khurshid was assaulted on December 20 while he was reporting on arson after a violent protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act in Meerut. There, some assailants, amid the protestors, caught hold of him and thrashed him badly due to which he has sustained a serious head injury and three wounds. Presently, he is recovering from his wounds. Khurshid has given a complete account of what happened with him on December 20 to Rural Connection.

“On December 20, when the news of laathicharge and stone-pelting from various places started pouring after the Namaz-e-Jumma in Meerut. Following this, when I received information that a person had died near the City Hospital on Hapur Road, I left for there. As soon as I reached Islamabad Police Chowki, I found vehicles and the Police chowki on fire,” said Khurshid.

He added: “I thought that the mob has moved away from the place after torching it, so I thought of taking some visuals of the site. While I was engaged in taking the visuals, about three-four mobsters came and began bludgeoning my head with rod and brick. When I told them that I am Khurshid and I am a journalist, all their rage against the media poured over me. They were saying, “this is Modi’s media, it won’t show us” and kept beating me without pausing to listen. They continued bludgeoning me for two minutes. Had they beaten me for one more minute, I would have died on spot. Somehow, I freed myself and ran. My friend took me to the hospital.”

Khurshid also told us about the happenings after the assault in which people justified the attack on the journalist. It also tells upon the attitude of media houses. “Whoever came to see me after the assault, particularly Muslim, emphasized that I got beaten up due to the fault of media. The second thing that surfaced was that two media institutions had approached me for a story but they were looking for the police angle-whether I got ambushed by police or not. They said they’d do my story if it was the police that assaulted me,” he said.

“I confirm that the assault was not made by police, but it sure was upon the profession of journalism. The image conjured up by the public of ‘Modi media’ is highly dangerous, especially for the people of this field. The way I see it, if a journalist wishes to work with honesty, he is subjected to such opinions and challenges,” said Khurshid.

Khurshid has been wounded at several places, especially his head where he has received serious injury. He informed that he has three gashes on his head each with five stitches. The assailants also had robbed him off his cellphone, selfie stick, mike, ID and helmet. He had also been suggested not to lodge an FIR (first information report) on the matter; however, he went ahead and did it.