Expressing shock at the brutal murder of a young television scribe in Tripura, the Journalists’ Forum Assam (JFA) demands a high level probe into the incident and urges the Manik Sarkar led Left government at Agartala to book the culprits under the law. The forum also reiterated its old demand for a special protection law for scribes on duty.
The reports from Agartala narrate that Shantanu Bhowmik, 29, who was associated with a local news channel titled DinRaat, faced the attacks when he went to cover a gory clash between two parties namely Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) and Communist Party of India (Marxist)'s tribal wing Tripura Rajaer Upajati Ganamukti Parishad (TRUGP) at Mandai in west Tripura on 22 September 2017.
Seriously injured Shantanu was taken to a government hospital, but the attending doctors declared him brought dead.
Shantanu becomes the seventh Indian victim-journalist this year after the murder of Bengaluru based editor-journalist and social activists Gauri Lankesh (55) on 5 September last. Prior to her, Haryana based television journalist Surender Singh Rana (35) was shot dead on 29 July.
The other victims include Kamlesh Jain (42) of Madhya Pradesh (killed on 31 May), Shyam Sharma (40) also of MP (killed on 15 May), Brajesh Kumar Singh (28) of Bihar (killed on 3 January) and Hari Prakash (31) of Jharkhand (killed on 2 January).
India lost six journalists to assailants in 2016, which was preceded by five cases in 2015. The populous country witnessed murders of two scribes in 2014, but the year 2013 reported as many as 11 journalists’ murders, where three northeastern media employees also fall victims to the perpetrators.
The killing of Sujit Bhattacharya (proof reader), Ranjit Chowdhury (manager) and Balaram Ghosh (driver) inside the office premises of DainikGanadoot in Agartala broke as sensational news as Tripura had no recent record of journalist-murders.
“Tripura thus repeated its shameful record on journo-murder after three years. Shantanu’s killing on duty hours also reminds the challenge & risks faced by the working journalists of northeast India.
We also extend moral supports to the agitating journalists of Tripura for their endeavor to justice,” said a statement issued by JFA president Rupam Barua and Secretary Nava Thakuria.
Braving the scorching heat, Tripura East records over 80 pc turnout
Despite the scorching heat, over 80 per cent of the 14 lakh voters cast their votes in the Tripura East Lok Sabha constituency where polling was held under a heavy security cover on Friday.
NCPCR initiates action against Mehbooba Mufti for 'using school children for election campaign'
In a significant development, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) on Friday took cognisance of a report on 'X' accusing PDP President and Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat candidate Mehbooba Mufti of using school children for campaigning in the election.
PM Modi takes opposition to cleaners on EVMs, once again
Calling it a "historic day", Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday lauded the Supreme Court's decision to dismiss a batch of petitions seeking mandatory cross-verification of the votes cast in Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) with Voter-Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips.
LS Poll: Over 1000 villagers did not cast vote; shows protest against bad road condition, improper drinking water facility
Over 1000 villagers of Maldapara of Gandacherra subdivision in Dhalai Tripura district on Friday boycotted the second phase of polling to East Tripura constituency and refrained from casting their vote as part of their agitation against bad condition of road in their village.
PM Modi roasts Cong, says former PM's video on 'priority for Muslims' demolishes its canards
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday stepped up his offensive on the Congress and said that his plainspeak on the party’s double standards has ruffled many feathers in the INDIA bloc, so much so, that they have launched a tirade at him for speaking the truth.
CBI recovers huge cache of arms, explosives from house of Shahjahan’s relative at Sandeshkhali
The CBI on Friday afternoon conducted a raid at the residence of a relative of suspended Trinamool Congress leader Sheikh Shahjahan at Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas District and seized a huge cache of firearms and explosives.
Tripura records 54.47% turnout recorded till 1 PM in 2nd phase polling to East
The second phase of polling for the East Tripura Parliamentary constituency is underway amid tight security coverage, while 54.47% voter turnout was recorded till 1 pm on Friday. Voting commenced at 7 am and will continue until 6 pm. Tripura recorded the highest turnout at 36.42 per cent till 11 am.
DMs, SPs of violence-hit MP districts transferred
The farmers agitation entered its eighth day on Thursday. The peasants have been on strike since June 1, demanding loan waiver and fair price for their produce.