The Hindu : National : Unidentified gunmen shoot dead reporter in Assam

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Nov 23, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

National

National

Unidentified gunmen shoot dead reporter in Assam

Special Correspondent

Six empty cases of 9 mm pistol recovered

GUWAHATI: Unidentified gunmen shot dead Kokrajhar district correspondent of a leading Assamese daily Amar Asom — Jagajit Saikia — in Kokrajhar town on Saturday afternoon. With five bullet wounds on his chest, he was rushed to hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead.

The police recovered six empty cases of 9 mm pistol from the spot. Additional Superintendent of Police Mrinal Talukdar told The Hindu that use of prohibited weapons by the assailants indicated involvement of armed groups.

“However, it is too early for any conclusion and investigations are on,” the police official said. He also said the police had not been able to get any direct eye-witness but people waiting some distance away in a market area had seen the assailants fleeing.

From point blank range

Saikia was on his motorcycle when he was fired upon by the assailants from point blank range in the heart of Kokrajhar town — the headquarters of the Bodoland Territorial Council around 1.40 p.m.

He is survived by his wife and a two-year-old daughter. Sources said he had rushed to the spot on his motorcycle after getting a call on his cell phone. The police have recovered his cell phone and are now verifying the call register to find out if the calls received by him were connected to his assassination.

The Journalists’ Forum, Assam has strongly condemned the killing and demanded prompt action from the government to book the culprits.

Protest planned

The Journalists Action Committee (JAC), Assam has decided to organise a protest meet on November 25 at the Guwahati Press Club. In a press statement, the JAC said that since 1991, 16 journalists had been killed in Assam.

Executive Editor of Amar Asom Prasanta Rajguru said: “I am shocked by the incident. Jagajit Saikia had been working with us for the past six years. He was very amiable and never complained of anything. The incident has shown how vulnerable journalists have become in Assam.”

Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi condemned the incident and instructed the Kokrajhar Deputy Commissioner and the Superintendent of Police to immediately nab the culprits, said Mr. Gogoi’s Press Adviser Deba Kumar Bora.

Earlier incidents

In 2007 unidentified gunmen shot dead Bodosa Narzary, Director of local television channel, Bodoland Channel. In 2005 family members of the Kokrajhar district correspondent of The Telegraph, Pritam Brahma Choudhury, were assaulted and his house vandalised by miscreants in Kokrajhar town.

The slain journalist was an office-bearer of the Assam Press Correspondents Union (APCU).

The APCU condemned the incident and demanded stringent punishment to the culprits.

Saikia’s body was taken to the office of the Korkrajhar District Journalists Association, where the local media persons paid their last respects.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National