While playing the role of investigator, VTV reporter was slashed in Thai Nguyen

A reporter and cameraman from Vietnam Television were posing as tea traders investigating and finding information about a production facility in Hung Son town, Dai Tu district, Thai Nguyen province when they were slashed and injured.

Confirming with Tuoi Tre on May 10, a leader of Dai Tu District Police said that the agency received a report from Mr. Trinh Luu Tuan (37 years old) and Phung Van Dinh (32 years old) (these two men said they were working at VTV 24 News Center of Vietnam Television) about being assaulted while working.

Accordingly, on the afternoon of May 8, Mr. Tuan and Mr. Dinh pretended to be tea buyers and went to Mr. Nguyen Anh M.'s house (Hung Son town, Dai Tu district) to conduct an investigative report as assigned and directed by the agency. Mr. Tuan used a hidden camera hidden in a cigarette pack to record images of moldy tea at Mr. M.'s house.

While filming, Mr. Nguyen Duy Tung (Mr. M's son) sitting nearby discovered and asked Mr. Tuan to put the camera away, but Mr. Tuan did not agree. Mr. Tung grabbed a knife and slashed Mr. Tuan's left arm.

Two reporters from Vietnam Television left their cameras at Mr. M's house and ran to Dai Tu District Police to report the incident. Mr. Tuan was taken to the hospital for emergency treatment, and doctors gave him four stitches at the site of the cut on his left arm.

Dai Tu District Police said that after slashing the reporter of Vietnam Television, Mr. Tung went to the local police station to confess. According to Mr. Tung's initial statement, he did not know that the two people who came to his house to secretly film him were reporters.

When Mr. Tuan threw the camera away and left, Mr. Tung smashed the camera. Dai Tu District Police are temporarily detaining Mr. Tung to investigate the act of intentionally causing injury.

According to information from Dai Tu District Police, when they came to the police station to report, both Mr. Tuan and Mr. Dinh could not present any documents proving that they were reporters. It was not until the evening of May 8 that these two people presented their Vietnam Television cards stating that Mr. Tuan was a reporter and Mr. Dinh was a cameraman.

On the morning of May 9, via the email system, Dai Tu District Police continued to receive a letter of introduction from VTV 24 News Center of Vietnam Television to send Mr. Tuan and Mr. Dinh to Dai Tu District People's Committee for work contact.

Speaking to Tuoi Tre on the evening of May 10, Mr. Nhu Van Tam, Standing Vice Chairman of the Thai Nguyen Provincial People's Committee, said that he had received a report from the authorities of Dai Tu district about the incident. The Provincial People's Committee has directed the People's Committee and the Dai Tu District Police to take care of the health of the person who was slashed and to investigate and strictly handle the case.

“Both the slashing and injuring of people and the tea processing and production, if there are violations, must be strictly handled. According to the initial report, the reporter could not present any documents proving that he was a reporter, so it must be carefully verified whether he is really a journalist or not, and it must also be investigated whether the working process is in accordance with the law,” said Mr. Tam.

According to tuoitre.vn