Editors Guild of India condemns Tripura journalist’s killing

New Delhi, November 23

The Editors Guild of India on Thursday “strongly” condemned the killing of a 48-year-old journalist in Tripura and demanded that Chief Minister Manik Sarkar bring the culprits to book immediately.

Sudip Datta Bhaumik, working with Bengali newspaper ‘Syandan Patrika, was gunned down on Tuesday allegedly by a constable of the Tripura State Rifle (TSR) following an altercation.

“The Editors Guild of India strongly condemns the murder of Bhowmik,” it said in a release.

The organisation said that the editor of the Syandan Patrika has alleged that Bhowmik was killed as he had written a series of reports, exposing financial irregularities and corruption cases involving a TSR commander.

“The Guild demands that Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar have the assailants swiftly brought to justice,” the release said.

“The Guild also expresses its deep concern that Bhowmik’s killing is not an isolated incident in Tripura,” it added.

On September 20, another journalist, Santanu Bhowmick was killed at Mandai in West Tripura district when he went to cover an agitation by the Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT).

“Another incident within months is indicative of the seriousness of the threat to journalists in Tripura and the need for the state government to pay heed and take steps urgently to provide safety for journalists,” the Editors Guild added. PTI