Deep Saikia, a TV journalist from Assam working with Nagaland’s Hornbill TV, was shot on August 30 in Manipur’s Senapati district while covering the Zinnia flower festival. He sustained injuries to his right leg and under his armpit. Immediate medical aid was provided at Senapati district hospital before shifting him to Nagaland for further treatment; he is now out of danger.
The gunman, identified as Raiveinii Ramai, was caught by local villagers and handed over to police. The attacker claimed he aimed to shoot a bird but hit Saikia by mistake. Authorities have arrested him and the probe into the motive is ongoing. The incident has drawn widespread condemnation from media bodies and officials, highlighting concerns over press freedom and safety in the region.
Attack During Cultural Coverage in Laii Village
The shooting unfolded in Laii, a Naga-majority village roughly three kilometres from the flower festival site. Saikia was reporting on the event when the attack happened. The villagers quickly apprehended the shooter, who is reportedly a tourist from Phuba Khuman and not a local resident.
The Laii village council promptly condemned the attack, expressing solidarity with Saikia and assuring full cooperation with ongoing investigations. They clarified that the community had no involvement in the incident and extended apologies for the distress caused to the journalist and the media fraternity.
Senapati police confirmed the arrest and recovery of the pressurized air rifle, which is an illegal firearm requiring a licence under the state’s regulations.
Background and Rising Tensions Around Press Freedom
This incident follows a public rebuke of Saikia by Nagaland Deputy Chief Minister Yanthungo Patton a week earlier in a village meeting where Patton berated the journalist over his reporting. This public confrontation raised alarms about a hostile climate for journalists in the region.
Media groups and journalist unions have voiced serious concerns about escalating threats, intimidation, and violence against reporters, especially in sensitive areas like Northeast India. Hornbill TV editor Dzuthono Mekro strongly condemned the attack, calling it not only a personal assault but an attack on the democratic values of transparency and freedom of the press.
Both Nagaland and Manipur governments have been urged to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation, with calls for appropriate measures to protect journalists.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
The shooting of Deep Saikia is a chilling reminder of the vulnerability of journalists working in conflict-sensitive and politically charged regions. It threatens the very foundation of democracy, where a free and fearless press acts as the watchdog for citizens’ rights and truth. Violence against journalists deepens societal divides, suppresses dialogue, and undermines the quest for peace and coexistence.
Safeguarding freedom of speech and ensuring the safety of media persons must be a shared priority for governments, civil society, and communities alike. Empathy, respect, and peaceful dialogue should replace intimidation and aggression.
