Jharkhand: Case against journalist, vlogger who reported 'plight' of Silkyara tunnel worker's family

After the successful evacuation of all 41 trapped workers from inside the Silkyara tunnel, a complaint was filed on November 30 alleging that a local journalist and a vlogger in Khunti obstructed the government work by filming the plight of a family of a trapped worker.

Khunti: A case was registered against a local journalist and a vlogger in Jharkhand's Khunti district for allegedly "obstructing" government work after they filmed the "plight" of a family, a member of which was stuck in the Silkyara tunnel in Uttrakhand.

The FIR was lodged against journalist Sonu Ansari and YouTuber Gunjan Kumar at the Karra police station based on the complaint of block development officer Smita Nagesia and circle officer Vandana Bharti, Torpa sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Omprakash Tiwari told PTI.

"They allegedly created obstacles in government work and misbehaved with the officers," the SDPO said. In the police complaint filed on November 30, it was alleged that when the two officers visited the worker's house, the two reporters were already there.

"They started recording without verifying the truth. When asked to verify the truth, they created an obstacle in our work and misbehaved with us," according to the complaint. Tiwari said that further action would be taken according to instructions from senior officials.

"As per the provisions of CrPC, a notice will be issued to both of them and their statements will be recorded. Action will be taken on the basis of that," he said. Ansari and Kumar claimed that they highlighted the condition of Vijay Horo's family through their reports.

In their reports, they alleged that the administration provided the poor family with rations two weeks after the tunnel collapsed on November 12. (PTI)