Indian reporters accused of sparking tensions granted bail
ABC News
Two Indian journalists who were detained on charges of inciting communal violence after tweeting that religious attacks on Muslims were worse than police had reported were granted bail by a court in the northeastern state of Tripura
GAUHATI, India -- Two Indian journalists who were detained over the weekend on charges of inciting communal violence after tweeting that religious attacks on Muslims were worse than police had reported were granted bail by a court in the northeastern state of Tripura.
Samriddhi K. Sakunia and Swarna Jha were reporting on religious tensions in the state, where there were attacks against minority Muslims last month. Police said at least one mosque and several shops and homes belonging to Muslims were vandalized, but reported no deaths.
The attacks were seen as retaliation for violence against Hindus in neighboring Bangladesh earlier in October. Tripura borders Bangladesh and Muslims make up less than 9% of its nearly 4 million people.
The court granted the journalists bail on Monday after the judge said “their detention was not required for the investigation as it would amount to infringement of their personal liberty,” Pijus Kanti Biswas, the lawyer representing the reporters, said Tuesday.