By Matters India Reporter
New Delhi: A media professionals’ body has condemned the daylight murder of television journalist in Tripura, northeastern India.
Miscreants allegedly owing allegiance to the Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) on September 20 murdered a young television journalist at Mandwai, 25km east of Agartala.
The 28-year-old Santanu Bhowmik, who worked for Din-Rat (day-night) channel was attacked with sharp cutting weapons while covering a road blockade by IPFT that has demanded a separate tribal State called Tipraland.
The murder occurred amid continuing clashes between IPFT supporters and the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) in the Khowai, Teliamura and Jirania subdivisions. Scores have been injured, houses burnt, police vehicles torched and policemen attacked in the second day of tension in Tripura, The Hindu reports.
Police recovered Bhowmik in a critical state after he was attacked at Mandwai. Doctors declared him brought dead after he was shifted to the a hospital in Agartala. He had received serious head injuries.
A large number of journalists from all segments of media gathered at the hospital to demand the immediate arrest of the murderers. The police have reported arrested four alleged attackers.
The Foundation of Media Professionals condemned the murder and noted northeastern India has long been “a zone of impunity where various militant groups” who threaten, attack and often kill journalists who try to do their jobs. “Even political parties and security forces are known to intimidate journalists in the many conflict zones that dot the region,” the foundation said in a statement on September 21.
“We call upon all groups to ensure safety of media persons going about their jobs,” added the statement signed by foundation president Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, director Manoj Mitta, and Northeast India convener Samrat Choudhury.