TV journalist Shantanu Bhowmick was beaten to death by Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) protesters while covering roadblock protests in Mandai district of Tripura on 20 September.
A political clash had reportedly broken out between CPI(M)'s tribal wing Tripura Rajaer Upajati Ganamukti Parishad and IPFT workers, when Bhaumik was suddenly attacked with sharp weapons.
Following his killing, the ruling party CPI (M) imposed Section 144 on two districts and condemned the killing. Journalists gathered outside Chief Minister Manik Sarkar’s residence in a spontaneous roadblock procession to protest the killing. The Tripura Journalists Union has demanded a CBI probe into the issue.
During our governance, this type of a thing has not happened. This is the first time that media persons have been attacked. We have to analyse the incident to know the why and how of it.Bhanu Lal Saha, CPI (M) Minister, Tripura
With the state elections due in 2018, CPI (M) has claimed that this killing by the IPFT protesters, backed by BJP, is a planned murder which follows a pattern. It has linked Bhowmick’s murder with Gauri Lankesh’s killing.
This is a clear pattern that is emerging all over the country. Gauri Lankesh’s murder in Karnataka, where elections are due, and now a progressive journalist, Shantanu Bhowmick’s murder in Tripura, which is also headed for elections. This is the pattern that the RSS-BJP are employing in order to silence progressive journalists. So that the truth doesn’t reach the people.Sitaram Yechury, General Secretary, CPI (M)
Four IPFT members were arrested after the incident, deputy inspector general of police Arindam Nath told IANS.
Video Editor: Mohd Irshad Alam
(#TalkingStalking: Have you ever been stalked? Share your experience with The Quint and inspire others to shatter the silence surrounding stalking. Send your stories to editor@thequint.com or WhatsApp @ +919999008335)
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)