2 held for Tripura journalist’s murder; state put on high alert
TENSE TIMES Scribes stage protest outside chief minister’s residence demanding protection
The Tripura police on Thursday arrested two people in connection with the murder of journalist Shantanu Bhowmik during a clash between rival tribal parties on Wednesday.
“We arrested Shyamal Debbarma and Bikash Debbarma, two tribal youth from Mandwai for their involvement in Bhowmik’s killing and forwarded them to the court,” a police officer said.
The arrested duo is believed to be members of the statehoodseeking Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) although the police refused to comment if the duo belonged to the outfit.
Bhowmik, 28, worked for Bengali news channel Dinraat and was abducted when he was covering an agitation and road blockade by the IPFT, superintendent of police Abhijit Saptarshi said.
He was found with serious stab wounds and was rushed to a government hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.
IPFT is in talks for a pre-poll alliance with the BJP, desperate to oust chief minister Manik Sarkar’s Left Front government.
Clashes had erupted in the state when supporters of the Ganamukti Parishad, a tribal wing of the ruling CPM, gathered at a bus stand in Khowai town to travel to Agartala for a rally.
The IPFT workers attacked their rivals with sticks and iron rods and and damaged at least 15 buses. The Parishad had called the rally in Mandwai, a tribaldominated area in West Tripura district, against the IPFT.
The Tripura government has sounded a high alert prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the (CrPC) have been promulgated in parts of state.
The 28-year-old was the sole bread-winner of his family and is survived by his sister and mother, who had to be admitted to a hospital as she lost consciousness after seeing her son’s body.
Bhowmik’s body was on Thursday brought to Agartala Press Club after the post mortem before being taken for cremation. Close to 200 journalists blocked the road in front of Sarkar’s residence, demanding the arrest of the culprits, a compensation of ₹50 lakh for Bhowmik’s family members and security for journalists in the state.
Jayanta Bhattacharya, a senior journalist, said Bhowmik’s death underscored the perils of reporting in a communallycharged atmosphere. “Parties should ensure the protection of media persons,” he said.
Meanwhile, the National Union of Journalists India (NUJI) and Journalists’ Association of Assam (JAA) demanded strict action against Bhowmik’s killers.
Bhowmik’s murder comes four years after Sujit Bhattacharya, Ranjit Chowdhury and Balaram Ghosh – were hacked to death in the office of the Agartalabased daily they worked for, highlighting the dangers scribes face in the northeast.