News in Numbers: How Deadly Is the Life of a Journalist in India?

With nine deaths, India only fared better than Iraq and Syria in 2015.

In 2015, India emerged as one of the three most dangerous countries. (Photo: iStockPhoto)

Last week, two journalists were shot dead within 24 hours. In Jharkhand’s Chatra district, local news channel reporter Akhilesh Pratap Singh was murdered by unknown assailants. And late Friday night, Rajdev Ranjan, the bureau chief of the Hindi daily, Hindustan, was murdered in Bihar’s Siwan district.

(Infographic: Liju Joseph)

(Infographic: Liju Joseph)

These are not isolated instances. In 2015, India emerged as one of the three most dangerous countries.

With nine deaths, it only fared better than Iraq and Syria, where 11 and 10 journalists, respectively, were killed, according to a Reporters Without Borders report.

Indian journalists “daring to cover organised crime and its links with politicians have been exposed to a surge in violence, especially violence of criminal origin, since the start of 2015”, the report said.

When it comes to press freedom, India ranks much lower on the list: 133 out of 180 nations. (Infographic: Rahul Gupta)