An Indian television channel broadcasting in the local Marathi language has come under attack in the western city of Mumbai.

Suspected Hindu hardliners used iron rods and sticks to beat employees and smash the furniture of the IBN Lokmat TV channel.

It was not immediately clear why the attack took place, but the media house said the attackers claimed to belong to the Hindu nationalist Shiv Sena party.

An IBN Lokmat journalist said the armed attackers were looking for Nikhil Wagle, the editor-in-chief of the channel, and wanted to "teach him a lesson".

IBN's own video showed more than a dozen vandals smashing glass and damaging office furniture.

A police report said that seven people were arrested and that they were looking to arrest another 15 after watching the closed-circuit TV footage of the attack.

FTP/SS/MMA