New Delhi, Oct 22: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance of media reports about attacks on three journalists in separate incidents in Tripura, Manipur, and Kerala, and has sought detailed action-taken reports from the police chiefs of the three states.
The incidents reportedly occurred in Tripura on September 21, 2025, and in Manipur and Kerala on August 30, 2025. The Commission has issued notices to the Directors General of Police (DGPs) of all three states, directing them to submit comprehensive reports within two weeks.
According to media accounts, a journalist in Tripura was assaulted by a group of miscreants armed with sticks and sharp weapons while covering a clothes distribution programme organised by a political party in the Hezamara area of West Tripura district. The attackers also allegedly stole his motorcycle before fleeing the spot.
In Manipur, another journalist was reportedly shot twice with an air gun while covering a flower festival at Laii village in Senapati district, leaving him seriously injured. Similarly, in Kerala, a journalist was attacked by a group of unidentified individuals at Mangattukavala near Thodupuzha while returning from a wedding function.
All three journalists were admitted to hospitals for medical treatment, and police in each state have registered cases in connection with the incidents.
The NHRC, expressing grave concern, noted that such attacks on journalists performing their professional duties raise serious questions about the safety of media persons and the state of press freedom in the country. The Commission emphasised that state authorities are constitutionally obligated to ensure a secure environment where journalists can work freely and without fear of violence or intimidation.
