A car parked in Malayalam television channel Asianet TV’s office in Kerala’s Alappuzha city was vandalised early on Thursday. The incident took place after the news network claimed that state Transport Minister Thomas Chandy was involved in a land encroachment case, IANS reported.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan (pictured above) has asked the police to conduct a thorough investigation, according to PTI. Director General of Police Loknath Behara said a Special Investigation Team had been formed to inquire into the incident.

The channel’s chief reporter, TV Prasad, was in the office when the incident took place. Prasad has been doing a series of investigative stories on the alleged land encroachment. “This took place after I went to sleep around 2 am,” he told IANS. “I have done 20 reports on the alleged irregularities against Chandy.”

Opposition parties condemned the incident, and called it an attack on the media. Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Ramesh Chennithala said, “It should not have happened in our state. This is an assault on the freedom of the press.” BJP Kerala President Kummanam Rajasekharan said attacking the media when it brings out “corruption and irregularities” cannot be justified in a democracy.