Journalists in Nepal were attacked and their vehicles vandalized for allegedly defying bandh in the first day of the three-day general strike called by the main opposition party Unified CPN (Maoist) on December 20, Sunday.

Navesh Chitrakar, Lens man of The Himalayan Times, a national daily, was injured during a clash at Gaushala in the capital. He sustained head injury and was admitted in Medicare Hospital in Chabahil. Press vehicles also faced the fury of police and demonstrators despite Maoist commitment to refrain from such activities.

The bandh enforcers also misbehaved with Rewati Sapkota, reporter for Annapurna Post. Narayan Neupane, a reporter for Rastriya Samachar Samiti (RSS) was also injured during a clash at New Baneshwor. He also sustained head injury and received treatment in local Everest hospital. He was hit while taking photographs of clashes between protestors and police in New Baneswor.
 
During the bandh, Maoist cadres also stopped the motorbike of Kavre Post Editor Bishnu Chaulagain and thrashed him in Banepa in Kavrepalanchowk district on December 20.
 
Similarly, four local dailies in Dadeldhura couldn´t be published Monday due to the banda called by the Maoists. Hill Times, Himkhanda, Dadeldhura Post and Amargadi Post couldn't bring out their Monday editions in lack of paper due to the Maoist called Kailali banda from Saturday.

“We can´t buy papers in bulk due to financial constraints and have to purchase almost daily. So, we have to stop publications whenever there is a long strike,” editor of Himkhanda daily reasoned.
 
Condemning the incidents of attacking journalists and vandalizing their vehicles during the reporting of bandh, Freedom Forum urges the bandh enforcers and security bodies to restrain tolerance and show respect to journalists who own up the prime responsibility of making people informed. "Such attacks and misbehaviour with journalists violates their right to freedom of expression and prevents them from discharging the role of watchdog", said Taranath Dahal, Chairperson of Freedom Forum.
 
The Forum also asked the Maoists not to obstruct journalists to cover news and serve people's access to information.