Kottayam (Kerala), June 25 (ANI): The Editors Guild of India has taken a serious view of the increasing incidents of violence against journalists and expressed deep concern over the recent attacks of newsmen and news organsations as witnessed in the last few weeks.

The Guild has felt that the attacks in different parts of the country are carried out by outfits which enjoy protection and immunity from ruling parties.

In the latest instance, activists of the Student Federation of India (SFI) assaulted three journalists of the Malayala Manorama group in Kottayam on Tuesday.

Pradeep Joseph, reporter of the television channel Manorama News, was chased and beaten up by SFI activists while he was covering a demonstration of SFI.

Though he sought refuge in a police jeep, he was pulled out and thrashed.

Fellow journalists including Arun John, reporter of Malayala Manorama and Nishad Kurien, photographer of Malayala Manorama who went to his rescue were also hit. They had to take refuge in the nearby Malayala Manorama office.

The mob also beat up their driver. But when the guards blocked the way of the assailants, the enraged activists stoned the newspaper office.

When Police tried to intervene, it also suffered the activists attack.

The three journalists and driver Sabu are presently undergoing treatment for serious injuries at the Medical College Hospital in Kottayam

The Editors Guild of India has considered it a serious and violent infringement of the freedom of the press, and urged the Kerala Government to take exemplary action against the guilty and ensure that such attacks were not repeated. (ANI)