'Shots that hit me weren't random', says Assam journalist injured in Manipur shooting

Imphal, August 31: The television journalist, Deep Saikia, shot at in Manipur, believes the gunshots that struck him during an assignment in Senapati district were "deliberate and not random".

Saikia, who sustained injuries to his leg and armpit, was attacked on Saturday evening while covering the Zinnia Flower Festival at Laii village, a Naga-dominated area.

According to police, the journalist was returning from the festival along with four others when they briefly stopped by the roadside. It was at this moment that he was hit twice — first in the right leg and moments later in the right armpit.

Locals managed to overpower the assailant, who was carrying an air gun, and handed him over to the police. Authorities said they are investigating the motive behind the attack.

Saikia, originally from Jorhat, believes the circumstances point to a targeted assault.

“I was the only one shot twice among the five people,” he said from his hospital bed in Dimapur, where he is undergoing treatment.

He added that he had previously received life threats related to his reporting and had alerted police about them.

“Without evidence, I cannot name anyone. But life threats were there against me and I urge the police to investigate all the angles,” Saikia noted.

Doctors treating him have indicated that he may be shifted to Guwahati for advanced medical care, as the bullets are yet to be extracted from his body.

The incident has sparked strong condemnation from journalists’ bodies. The Naga Journalists’ Union Manipur (NUJM) has set up a fact-finding committee to independently probe the attack.

The shooting also comes in the backdrop of recent tensions between Saikia and Nagaland Deputy Chief Minister Yanthungo Patton, who had publicly berated him in Wokha district over a report that cited local complaints of official inaction in boundary areas while a large eviction drive was underway in Assam.

Hornbill TV editor Dzuthono Mekro condemned the shooting, calling it an attack on press freedom and democratic values. He urged both the Nagaland and Manipur governments to ensure a thorough and impartial investigation into the case.

The assault on Saikia has sent shockwaves through the media fraternity, raising concerns over the safety of journalists in the Northeast. 

PTI