IJU and IFJ Condemns Bihar Journalist’s Murder: Demands to investigate the crime and bring justice to the perpetrators

KalimNews, New Delhi, 24 May 2022: The Indian Journalists Union is shocked at the brutal murder of Subhash Kumar Mahto, a local reporter in Begusaria district, Bihar, allegedly by liquor and sand mafia on May 20. The IJU condemns the dastardly act and demands that the State government brings the culprits to book. 

According to reports, Mahto was fatally shot outside his home in Sakho village while he was returning from a wedding dinner with family members around 8.45 pm. He was shot in the head by four men who immediately fled the scene. He was rushed to the hospital, where he was declared brought dead. 

Mahto was a reporter with a local cable station City News and frequently used Public App to post his reports. His family members said that he was killed for exposing the liquor and sand mafia in his reportage. 

In a statement, IJU President and former Member, Press council of India, Geetartha Pathak and Secretary General and International Federation of Journalists Vice President Sabina Inderjit said the murder needs to be condemned in the strongest terms and that the State government must give justice to the family of Mahto by arresting the culprits. At the same time, it must also set up an inquiry to investigate the criminal activities of the sand and liquor mafia in the State, exposed by Mahto. 

The  IJU expressed serious concern over the growing trend of journalists being targeted by both State and non-State actors for their reportage and demanded that the Central government must heed to its long-pending demand of enacting a safety law for protection of journalists and safeguarding press freedom. 

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) also strongly condemns the murder and urges the Indian authorities to expedite investigation on the case and bring the perpetrators to swift justice.

Four unidentified assailants shot Mahato from close range at around 9 pm as he returned to his home with his father and other relatives from a community wedding dinner. The gunmen fled once Mahato fell and the journalist was rushed to a local government health centre for treatment, But he was declared deceased on arrival.

 

Mahato, associated with a Public App platform and Begusarai’s local cable channel City News, was known for his investigative news reports into issues relating to liquor and sand mafia in the region. He was also an active supporter a ward member candidate in the Panchayat elections.

 

Saurabh Kumar, a local journalist and general secretary of Begusarai District Journalists Association argued that his reporting on various mafia organisations and his political affiliation may be a reason for his murder. Kumar said he also suspects that a group angered with his reporting hired professional assassins to kill the journalist.  

 

Local police stated that investigation into the case has begun and they are close to identifying the alleged culprits.

 

According to police’s initial investigation, the immediate reason for Mahato’s murder is a heated exchange during the wedding ceremony he attended the same evening. However, police also suspect his reporting to be a factor in the case.

 

In 2018, Mahato was arrested under India’s Information Technology (IT) Act for a video report but was granted bail by a local court. He is the second journalists to be killed in India in 2022. Journalist Rohit Biswal, of Dharitri, was killed by an improvised explosive device (IED), allegedly planted by Maoist insurgents, in February 2022.

 

The IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said: “The IFJ strongly condemns the coldblooded murder of journalist Subhash Kumar Mahto and urges the Indian authorities to immediately investigate the crime and bring justice to the perpetrators. India must not allow impunity for crimes against journalists to continue.”