Indian police in Assam arrest TV journalists

A court in Assam has ordered the release on bail of four senior officials of the government-controlled television, Doordashan, arrested earlier today.

The Assam government had accused them of irresponsible reporting of a recent rebel attack, in which eighteen people were killed.

The chief judicial magistrate in the Assamese capital, Guwahati, described as untenable a police request to detain the officials in custody for fourteen days.

He warned them against what he called any further harassment of the officials.

The Assam Journalists' Association had strongly condemned the arrests, calling them a classic example of state government arrogance.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service