The International Press Institute (IPI) is extremely troubled by an attack on the Dainik Ganadoot newspaper Sunday, May 19, in the northeastern Indian state capital of Agartala, which left three employees dead. IPI today urged local police to thoroughly investigate the attack and bring those responsible to justice.
According to local reports, several masked assailants rushed into the office of the Bengali language daily, Dainik Ganadoot, around 3 p.m., Sunday, and headed up to the first floor of the building, where the editor, Sushil Choudhary works. While searching for the editor, the attackers found newspaper manager, Ranjit Choudhary, and stabbed him repeatedly, reportedly mistaking him for the owner. Sushil Choudhary, speculated that he was the target of the attack.
On their way out of the building, the attackers also stabbed Sujit Bhattacharjee, a proofreader, and Balaram Ghosh, a driver with the newspaper, who arrived at the scene upon hearing shouting and screaming. Choudhary, Bhattacharjee, and Ghosh reportedly died en route to the Agartala Government Medical Hospital.
Police have launched an initial investigation into the murders and have issued an alert for the killers at local railway stations, airports, and border checkpoints, but have not yet identified any suspects or motives. Bijay Nag, one of the police officers in charge of the West Agartala police station, however, described Sushil Choudhary as “a very aggressive editor who never minces words,” and said that “it was possible he had personal enemies.”
N. Ravi, chairman of IPI’s India National Committee and president of the Editors Guild of India, expressed shock over the attack and said the Government of Tripura had failed in its elementary duty to stay the hand of those who want to curb independent journalism, and to provide protection to journalists.
In a separate statement, the Guild added: “That manager of the newspaper Ranjit Chowdhury, proofreader Sunil Bhattarcharjee and driver Balaram Ghosh died at the hands of suspected contract killers in broad daylight on Sunday, shows that the law and order in the state of Tripura has all but collapsed.”
The Guild called upon Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar to order a thorough probe into the incident and provide adequate protection to the staff of the newspaper. It also said in the statement that the media in India’s northeastern states is coming under increasing threats from insurgents and contract killers. The region is currently the site of a long-running conflict prompted by local demands for increased autonomy from the Indian government.
“We would like to extend our deepest sympathies to the families of Ranjit Choudhary, Sujit Bhattacharjee, and Balram Ghosh,” IPI Press Freedom Manager Barbara Trionfi said from IPI’s World Congress in Amman, Jordan. “We urge Tripura authorities to find those responsible for this horrific attack and ensure that this and any crimes against the media do not go unpunished.”
IPI’s 62nd World Congress and General Assembly officially began yesterday morning in Amman, Jordan. Over the next few days, leading editors, journalists, and media experts from around the world will discuss challenges to press freedom, with a particular focus on the Middle East and the effects of the Arab Spring. The theme of this year’s Congress is “Documenting Change—Empowering Media.”
