Brutal Assault on Scribes Atul Sudan, Ashwani Bhardwaj Unveils Years of Alleged Police Inertia Against Entrenched Organised Criminal Syndicate; Media Demands SIT, Denounces Inaction
- Alarmed by the brutal assault on journalists Atul Sudan and Ashwani Bhardwaj, a delegation of media professionals met IGP Jammu Zone Bhim Sen Tuti, condemning alleged police inaction in the Akhnoor-Kanachack-Marh belt and demanding decisive measures against an organized criminal syndicate.
- The delegation presented IGP Tuti a disturbing chronology of repeated violent attacks, naka breaches, armed intimidation, and smuggling activities, dating back to February 2025, accusing local police of failing to register FIRs and allowing prime culprits to evade arrest.
- IGP Bhim Sen Tuti assured the media that he is personally monitoring the case, vowing strict action, including the arrest of all involved, the application of stringent legal sections, and a comprehensive probe into the criminal networks, affirming that “no one will be spared.”
MOHIT MEHRA
Jammu, August 11, 2025: A climate of fear and impunity allegedly fostered by an organized criminal syndicate operating across the Akhnoor-Kanachack-Marh belt has exploded into public consciousness with the recent brutal attack on senior journalists Atul Sudan and Ashwani Bhardwaj. In a powerful display of unity and outrage, a delegation of working journalists today called on Inspector General of Police (IGP) Jammu Zone, Shri Bhim Sen Tuti, IPS, demanding immediate and decisive action against a network they claim has operated with impunity due to alleged police inaction and dereliction of duty.
The media fraternity conveyed its profound concern over the escalating threats, intimidation, and violence endured by journalists, unequivocally describing such assaults as a direct attack on press freedom and the very foundations of democracy. They voiced strong dissatisfaction with the handling of the journalist attack case by Kanachack Police, alleging significant delays, an inadequate response, and a failure to act decisively against the culprits who openly flaunted weapons in a viral video just weeks prior.
The delegation presented IGP Tuti a chilling chronology of documented incidents, painting a grim picture of a systematic and emboldened criminal enterprise. This disturbing pattern, spanning multiple police jurisdictions, includes:
A major cash seizure of ₹35,08,830/- at Bhagthalli Naka, Kathua, on the intervening night of February 23–24, 2025, with the apprehended individual directly linked to the group.
An armed assault on Forest Department officials, including Range Officer Kalidhar, with sharp-edged weapons, occurring on the midnight of June 30–July 1, 2025, an incident for which an FIR is yet to be registered despite a formal complaint to SSP Jammu.
A brazen naka attack on July 7, 2025, on the Old Bridge, Akhnoor, where a Tata Mobile vehicle breached police lines and pelted stones at police and CRPF jawans before fleeing.
A widely circulated viral video from July 20, 2025, showcasing accused individuals brandishing weapons on the Ring Road in Marh, an incident for which only a few arrests were made, leaving prime accused still at large.
Another naka breach and assault on police personnel near Sua Number 1 on August 2, 2025.
The violent assault on journalists Atul Sudan and Ashwani Bhardwaj on August 4, 2025, near Aditya Filling Station, Gurha Pattan, where their car was rammed and they were attacked by 25–30 armed men. While FIR 109/2025 has been registered at Kanachack Police Station, it is allegedly under bailable sections, and key perpetrators remain at large.
Earlier incidents in February 2025, including the looting of a newspaper van near Bawe Talab and repeated targeting of vegetable and fruit vehicles from Akhnoor in early 2025.
Persistent bovine thefts from Akhnoor and adjacent villages, despite multiple CCTV-backed complaints.
The journalists also referenced a 2018 BSF letter to the Divisional Commissioner Jammu, highlighting concerns about the “likely complicity of the Gujjars & Bakarwals residing in these areas in anti-national activities” near the International Border and recommending their shifting or constant monitoring, citing the volatility of the region.
The delegation articulated its grave concerns that the failure to register FIRs in pending cases, the repeated evasion of arrest by prime accused, and the significant cash seizure all point towards well-financed, organized operations, possibly linked to drug and bovine smuggling. They accused local police stations, including Kanachack, of ineffective policing that has allegedly emboldened these criminal gangs, endangering both media professionals and the general public.
IGP Bhim Sen Tuti, taking serious note of the comprehensive briefing and the gravity of the complaints, assured the media fraternity that he is personally monitoring the case. He vowed that strict action would be taken against all involved, emphasizing that stringent legal sections would be applied to ensure appropriate prosecution. The IGP affirmed that “no one will be spared” who is found to be involved in the criminal activities highlighted.
The delegation urged for immediate FIR registration in all pending complaints, the constitution of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate all linked incidents across Akhnoor–Kanachack–Marh–Kathua, the arrest of all prime accused, a full financial probe into the seized cash and illicit earnings, and strict departmental action against officers who allegedly ignored or downplayed complaints. They reiterated that “an attack on one journalist is an attack on the people’s right to know,” stressing the need for time-bound investigations, arrests, and preventive policing to restore public trust and the rule of law in a belt seemingly under siege by organized crime.
