India is increasingly witnessing cases of violence against the media and systematic attacks on the freedom of the Press. The country, though, has a better record than neighbours like Bangladesh, China and North Korea, says the annual report by the ‘‘Reporters Without Borders’’ the organisation that tracks attacks on the media.North India accounts for the majority of cases in which the media is targeted by the state or anti-social elements.Last fortnight, the arrest of The Indian Express journalist Gautam Dheer by the Punjab Police and the knife attack on Shikha Das in Chhattisgarh had made headlines.Last year, three journalists were killed in North India, says the annual report for 2004.Parvaz Mohammad Sultan (35) was shot two gunmen who entered his home in Srinagar’s Press Enclave.Sultan was the owner and editor of a news agency — the News and Feature Alliance — a correspondent for the Indian newspaper Quami Awaaz and a contributor for the Urdu-language daily Chattan.Another mediaperson who died on September 18, 2004, was Parmanand Goyal of Kaithal, Haryana. He used to work for the Hindi daily Punjab Kesri.The third, Dineswar Brahma, a correspondent for the regional daily Ajir Batori, was killed in Assam’s Dhubri by separatists.Two other journalists were murdered in 2004, though it is not clear whether their deaths were related to their work.The year also saw five journalists being arrested, two detained, 15 physically attacked and another 50 threatened.The annual report for 2003 is equally distressing.Of the two journalists killed that year, Haryana accounted for one.Ram Chander Chaterpatti was the editor of Poora Sach in Sirsa and was gunned down after a spat with the Dera Sacha Sauda sect. The CBI is now investigating the case.Yambem Meghajit Singh, who used to work for a TV production company, was tortured and killed by armed men on October 13 in Imphal.The year also saw some infamous arrests — like that of Iftikhar Ali Gilani and Kumar Badal of Tehelka. Several policemen also attacked Muzamil Jaleel, bureau chief of The Indian Express in Srinagar.In another case, thugs abducted Mohainraj Lahade of the Hindi daily Loksatta from his Ahmednagar office on October 22, injuring three colleagues who tried to intervene.
