Three Arrested For Beating Scribe To Death, PEC Demands Punishment

The Press Emblem Campaign (PEC), demanded that stringent punishments be meted out to perpetrators of the murder of a young scribe in Uttar Pradesh recently.

Condoling the demise of Sudhir Saini, aged 30, the global media safety and rights body urged the UP government in Lucknow to adequately compensate the reporter’s impoverished family.

Saini, who worked for a local newspaper named Shah Times, was physically attacked by three individuals while travelling by a car in Saharanpur locality on January 26. They had a quarrel with Saini, who was on a two-wheeler, following an issue of overtaking the vehicle.

The car passengers not only stopped the reporter, but also thrashed him and finally threw him to a water channel. Saini was taken to a nearby hospital by the locals in a serious condition where he succumbed to injuries.

The police received information from eye-witnesses about the vehicle and those passengers and accordingly arrested Jahangir, Farman and Mannan on charges of murdering the reporter, who was the only son to elderly parents.

Secretary general of PEC, Blaise Lempen said, “It’s so unfortunate that the life of a promising scribe had ended in such a way. India continues to be a dangerous country for working journalists as the populous nation lost six journalists to assailants last year”.

PEC also pointed out that year 2021 witnessed murders of 79 media workers in 29 countries, where Afghanistan emerged as the most dangerous country with 12 journo-casualties, followed by Mexico (10) and Pakistan (7).

Notably, just a few days ago, another young scribe named Rohit Kumar Biswal died in a landmine blast, informed Nava Thakuria, PEC’s India representative. Biswal , aged 40, worked for an Oriya daily called Dharitri, stepped on the mine planted by left-wing rebels in Odisha’s Kalahandi locality and died on the spot.

The incident took place on February 5 as the reporter went to cover a local election related developments where the ultra-left extremists threatened people to boycott the forthcoming polls.