Journalist shot dead in northern India

Ajournalist was shot dead by three gunmen in northern India yesterday, police said, the latest attack on media in one of Asia’s deadliest countries for reporters.

Rajesh Mishra, a 40-yearold reporter at the Hindilanguage daily Dainik Jagran — one of India’s largest and highest circulated newspapers — was shot in the head by three gunmen riding on a motorcycle in Uttar Pradesh state, additional director general of police Anand Kumar said.

“Three thugs fired the shots. Two of the three have been identified,” Kumar told reporters.

“We are confident that we will arrest all three by tonight. We have their names and the investigation is on,” he said, adding police were yet to ascertain the motive behind the killing.

Mishra was a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), an influential right-wing Hindu organisation seen as the ideological fountainhead of the national ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Yesterday’s killing comes a month after a reporter covering political unrest in India’s northeast was beaten to death during violent clashes.