FIR against Assam Ayurveda expert for 'derogatory' post against woman scribe

GUWAHATI: A case was registered here on Tuesday against a self-proclaimed traditional medicine expert of Assam for his "derogatory" social media post against a woman journalist, police said.

The accused, who is a member of the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), an ally of the ruling BJP, has been suspended from the party following the development.

An FIR was registered against the man, a known face in local television programmes where he prescribes traditional medicines for the treatment of various ailments, after the journalist filed a written complaint against him on Monday.

Police said an investigation has started.

Recently, the accused made some alleged unsavoury comments against women in general in a video uploaded on social media.

A digital media house, in which the journalist's husband works in a senior position, criticised his views in a news post.

Apparently offended by the negative news coverage, the traditional medicine expert attacked the journalist's husband on Facebook.

"He then dragged my name into the accusations and started character assassination, making lewd comments. I am under extreme mental duress and want the person to be arrested and prosecuted as per law," the woman journalist who works for a local satellite channel told PTI.

The AGP has suspended the accused from the party with immediate effect.

The Gauhati Press Club has demanded stringent action against the accused.

In a statement, the club said it "feels that such personal attacks on social media and that too against a woman are in bad taste."