The pen is proving to be not much of a match for the mafia’s guns, at least in Bihar.
THE sword is not mightier than the pen. This metonymic adage has reassured scribes the world over down the ages. But then, what about the gun and the bullets it can fire from point-blank range? That is the question haunting champions of free speech in Bihar, where five journalists have been killed in a little over a year. One more was killed close to the state’s borders with adjoining Jharkhand as well, raising fears over the use of violence to muzzle the voice of the media in the gangetic badlands.
On November 12, Saturday, Dharmendra Kumar Singh, a stringer with a leading Hindi daily, was sipping tea at a roadside stall after his morning stroll when three motorcycleborne armed men appeared out of nowhere and sprayed bullets at him. The 40 year old journo from Amra Talab village in Rohtas district was rushed to a hospital in Varanasi, the nearest big city, but he could not be saved.
Dharmendra’s family and the colleagues in the local media felt he had paid the price for being a committed journalist,someone who was not afraid to take on the powerful stonecrusher mafia operating in the area. His news reports were his only weapon.
Bihar is no stranger to such killings, and yet the murder of one newsman after another in quick succession has shocked even hardened sensibilities. Dharmendra’s killing came close on the heels of the gunning down of Rajdeo Ranjan, district bureau chief of another Hindi daily near Siwan railway station in May this year. His kin accused incarcerated RJD strongman Mohammad Shahabuddin of conspiring to get him bumped off. The journalist, they said, had been writing against him again and again in his newspaper.
Denne historien er fra November 28, 2016-utgaven av Outlook.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra November 28, 2016-utgaven av Outlook.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Pillars of Viksit Bharat 2024
The Hon'ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of Viksit Bharat 2047' represents a complete blueprint for the country’s prosperity during its Amrit Kaal towards attaining resolutions made for Aatmanirbhar Bharat’
Innovation in Healthcare Products
Vatsal Desai pioneering the path to healthier living in a growing India
A Master Weaver of Heart Health
In the intricate tapestry of interventional cardiology, Dr Vashisth Das stands out as a master weaver, deftly navigating the delicate threads of life and technology to mend hearts and restore hope
Viksit Bharat 2047: Empowering India through Education & Self-Reliance
As India approaches 2047, the centenary of its independence, the dream of a “Viksit Bharat” – a fully developed, selfsufficient, and inclusive nation – is steadily turning into reality.
Revolutionising New Age Learning
A visionary leader and an educationist par excellence, GS Patnaik shares with the Outlook Group his approach towards driving Value-based and holistic learning initiatives
Pioneering Social Transformation
Achyuta Samanta dedicated to bringing about social change through education and social services for people at the grassroots level
A Vision for Developed India
The concept of Viksit Bharat” Developed India) embodies the aspiration for a prosperous, inclusive, and sustainable India. The framework for achieving this ambitious but achievable goal, in my opinion, can be articulated through some key pillars that serve as the foundation for national progress
Chasing Dreams Relentlessly
For the young and aspiring youth, Manu Bhaker is a fine example of how hard work and perseverance can help achieve set targets
Standing Tall as a Pillar in Healthcare Sector
As technology is advancing and there is an upsurge in medical sciences, Yashoda Hospital is keeping up to its promise of providing top tier healthcare services using specialised and advanced medical technologies and equipment.
Upholding/Strengthening India's 'Viksit Bharat' Dreams
Landmark Crafts Pvt. Ltd., Ghaziabad, Delhi-NCR, is a flourishing enterprise where necessity, keen identification of agap and the right timing of launching HP Self-Drilling Screws in 1995, backed by grit, is a perfect recipe of a success story that pioneered an industry. Mr Pankaj Lidoo and MrVipin Lidoo, Directors of the company, hailing from Kashmir, have set their target to achieve India's dream of a Viksit Bharat by 2047 with visionary zeal
