Skip to content Skip to navigation

JFA condemns murder of scribe in central India

Journalists’ Forum Assam (JFA) has strongly condemned the repeated murder of scribes in the country and urged the Union government in New Delhi to formulate a strict policy to safeguard the media persons. The scribe’s forum expressed shock that one more journalist (Rajesh Mishra from Uttar Pradesh) was killed on Saturday to erode India’s journo-murder index.

Media reports from Lucknow confirmed that journalist Mishra (40), who used to work for Dainik Jagaran, was shot dead by three motorcycle-borne gunmen at Kailash Nagar locality of Gazipur district on 21 October 2017.

With the assassination of Mishra, who was inclined to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, India has lost nine journalists in ten months of the year. The largest democracy in the globe witnessed three shocking news of journo-murders in the last month, which ignited widespread protests across the country.

The string of journo-killings began with Hari Prakash (killed on January 2) and the trend continued with the murders of Brajesh Kumar Singh (January 3), Shyam Sharma (May 15), Kamlesh Jain (May 31), Surender Singh Rana ( July 29), Gauri Lankesh (September 5), Shantanu Bhowmik (September 20) and KJ Singh (September 23).

India is ranked 136th among 180 countries in its RSF’s World Press Freedom Index (2017), which is just ahead of its neighbors Pakistan (139th), Sri Lanka (141) and Bangladesh (146). Norway topped the list where India’s neighbors including Bhutan (84), Nepal (100), Maldives (117), Afghanistan (120), Burma (131) etc are ahead of it. One party ruled North Korea (180) is at the bottom of the list, where Vietnam and China were placed at 175th and 176th positions respectively. “India as a nation loses around five journalists to assailants irrespective of any political party regime in New Delhi or other provinces. Statistics reveal that we lost six journalists to perpetrators in 2016, which was preceded by five cases in 2015. We witnessed murders of two scribes in 2014, but the year 2013 reported as many as 11 journalists' murders,” said a statement issued by the JFA.

Author info

AT News's picture

Assam Times Staff. editor@assamtimes.org

Add new comment

Assamese Translator

Assam Times seeks English to Assamese translators!
Join our volunteer team.
Email editor@assamtimes.org.

Random Stories

Bangladesh Visa Camp at Guwahati

5 Nov 2010 - 11:32pm | Nava Thakuria
The Deputy High Commission for the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Kolkata has arranged a one-day Visa-camp in Guwahati tomorrow (6th November 2010). This camp is organised on an experimental...

Wild elephant killed at Badlapara TE

16 Jun 2013 - 12:26pm | Jayanta Kumar Das
In a very tragic incident one wild elephant (makhana) lost its life in Badlapara tea garden in the night of June 14. As per information the wild elephants body was found near the factory house of the...

Militancy in India's Northeast needs a healing touch

3 Feb 2009 - 11:40pm | Monjib Mochahari
Feb. 4: India's northeast is a geopolitically strategic region. Earlier, it was popularly known as the seven sisters of India and by its distinct diversity it is a mini-India with all its diversity...

Devastating inferno in Guwahati

27 Oct 2013 - 5:44pm | AT News
Crucial document relating to transaction of several crores along dozens personal computers have been ravaged when   the Dispur branch of Canara Bank caught fire on Sunday.    ...

Other Contents by Author

Guwahati, December 21: A panel discussion on the "Violation of Human Rights Laws Against Hindus and Other Religious Minorities" was held today at the Bishnu Nirmal Trust Auditorium, Latasil, Guwahati. The event was organized under the banner of Adhivakta Parishad Assam Prant. The discussion featured notable speakers, including  Justice Ajit Borthakur, former Judge of the Guwahati High Court and current member of the Assam Human Rights Commission. Justice Borthakur raised concerns about the status of rights guaranteed under the Constitution of Bangladesh and questioned their protection for all citizens. Former IPS and DGP (OSD) M Mohan Raj provided historical context, comparing...
Guwahati, December 2024: The Assam Chamber of Commerce is set to host a 5 KM Fun Run on January 5, 2025, at 6:00 AM, starting from the Gauhati Town Club, Judges Field, Panbazar. The event, spearheaded by Rupam Goswami, Chairman of the Assam Chamber of Commerce, aims to raise awareness about drug abuse and promote a healthy lifestyle. The fun run, themed “Run for a Cause,” invites participants from all walks of life to join hands in the fight against drugs. Registration for the event is priced at ₹250, with participants required to share a screenshot of their payment via WhatsApp to the organizers. The event promises exciting cash prizes for both male and female runners: ₹5,000 for first...
A protest by Congress party workers in Dispur escalated into chaos today as demonstrators attempted to gherao the Janata Bhawan in Guwahati, leading to multiple detentions including top party leadership. Assam Pradesh Congress Committee President Bhupen Borah and senior leader Ripun Bora were among those detained as fully-equipped police forces intervened to control the situation. The demonstration, sparked by the death of Congress worker Mridul Islam in Wednesday's tear gas shelling, saw protesters defying police barricades and staging sit-ins on the road. Some demonstrators attempted to breach police lines in front of the Janata Bhawan, intensifying the confrontation. In a related...
Guwahati, December 18, 2024: The School of Social Work at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Guwahati Off-Campus, held its first-ever Inhmukhawm: Field Work Organisations’ Meet on Wednesday. The event, themed "Buen Vivr: Co-building a Sustainable and Just Future," brought together nearly 100 participants, including grassroots organizations, NGOs, and corporate social responsibility (CSR) representatives. Aligning with the International World Social Work Day 2024, the gathering focused on social work, sustainability, and justice, providing a platform for dialogue, learning, and collaborative innovation to enhance student fieldwork initiatives. The event commenced with a warm...
Guwahati, Assam: The Business Incubation Center for Fisheries and Aquaculture (BICFA) at Guwahati Biotech Park (GBP), under the Department of Science, Technology & Climate Change, Government of Assam, successfully organized a three-day hands-on training program on Feed Analysis and Nutrient Composition of Animal and Fish Feed. The program aimed to educate startups, researchers, and students and was held at GBP and the Feed Testing Laboratory, Department of Animal Nutrition, College of Veterinary Sciences, Assam Agricultural University (AAU), Khanapara. Dr. Bula Choudhury, Senior Scientist at GBP and Convener of the program, welcomed the participants. She highlighted the vision of...
A transformative gathering of educators took place at the Mayflower Hotel in Guwahati, where 76 educators from 38 schools across Assam and Meghalaya came together for WWF-India’s Educators’ Conclave 2024 on November 29. The event focused on empowering educators to instill environmental stewardship and climate literacy in students, while sharing innovative strategies to make schools sustainable and eco-conscious hubs of learning. With the theme “Raising Generation 30,” the conclave explored actionable ideas for transforming education systems to address pressing environmental challenges such as climate change and biodiversity loss. “The role of educators in shaping future environmental...
Chandigarh: Former cricketer and politician Navjot Singh Sidhu has shared an inspiring story of his wife's recovery from cancer, attributing her remarkable progress to a strict diet plan inspired by ancient Indian Ayurveda, Nobel Prize-winning research on autophagy by Yoshinori Ohsumi, and guidance from medical experts. The plan, Sidhu revealed, helped his wife recover in just 40 days after undergoing surgeries, chemotherapy, and targeted therapies. Speaking to the media, Sidhu expressed his gratitude for the holistic approach, which combined positivity, lifestyle changes, and a disciplined nutritional regimen. “Positivity, determination, and the right diet can create miracles,” he said...
The Directorate of Cultural Affairs under the Assam government marked its 53rd anniversary with a historic event celebrating the recognition of Asomiya (Assamese) as a classical language. Held at the iconic Rabindra Bhawan, the evening highlighted the significance of this achievement and charted a roadmap for the language's preservation and growth in written and colloquial forms. The courtyard of Rabindra Bhawan, adorned with vibrant decorations and a podium beneath lush Bokul trees, hosted an enthusiastic audience of dignitaries and scholars. As the sun dipped below the Brahmaputra’s horizon, the program commenced with three distinguished panelists sharing their insights. The...
Tensions escalated in Manipur’s violence-hit Jiribam district on Sunday night as clashes between security forces and protesters turned deadly, officials reported. A young protester, identified as 21-year-old K. Athouba, was fatally shot amid the chaos. A police official confirmed that an investigation is underway to determine who fired the fatal shot, while protesters allege that a Manipur Police special commando unit was responsible. Two others were reported injured in the incident. The violence erupted as mobs attacked and vandalized properties belonging to political leaders and various party offices. According to police reports, the unrest began at Babupara before spreading to other...
The body of a tiger was discovered in the Horonbali Chapori area of Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, located in Assam’s Biswanath district, on Monday. Forest guards came across the carcass during a routine patrol and alerted senior officials, who subsequently arrived at the scene to recover the remains. Preliminary findings suggest that the tiger may have died as a result of a fight with another tiger. To confirm the exact cause of death, samples will be sent to a forensic laboratory for further analysis. The disposal of the carcass was carried out under the supervision of senior forest officials and veterinary doctors. Kaziranga National Park, recognized as a Tiger Reserve...