'Tripura scribe's killing was reckless, inhuman'

NEW DELHI: The Delhi media fraternity on Thursday condemned the killing of Tripura journalist Santanu Bhowmick, saying it was a "reckless and inhuman act" to silence the voice of the free press.

The Press Club of India, Indian Women's Press Corps, Press Association, Federation of Press Clubs in India and the North East Media Forum issued a joint statement demanding a swift probe into the incident.

"Santanu Bhowmick's life was taken away by mindless violence when he was discharging his professional journalistic duties. It is a reckless, inhuman act to silence the voice of the free press in the country and an assault on the freedom of the press," the statement said.

Bhowmick, who worked with a local television channel, was covering a clash between the Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura and the Tripura Rajya Upajati Ganamukti Parishad, the tribal wing of the CPI(M), in Mandai area of West Tripura on Wednesday when he was hit from behind and abducted, a senior police officer had said.

Bhowmick was later found with serious stab injuries and rushed to Agartala Medical College and Hospital where he was declared 'brought dead'.

"We demand an impartial and swift probe into the murder so that culprits can be booked and brought to justice. We also express our solidarity and support to the Tripura Journalists Union in their protest against the murder," the statement said.

"We demand that the state government give adequate compensation to the young journalist's family whose life was snuffed out in the line of duty," it added.

Bhowmicks killing comes days after the murder of veteran editor Gauri Lankesh in Bengaluru, which had sparked widespread outrage and concern on the state of the free press in India.