Agartala: Two more Tripura State Rifles (TSR) personnel have been arrested in connection with the killing of senior journalist Sudip Datta Bhowmick at the force's 2nd battalion headquarters, the police said. Nayek Amit Debbarma and rifleman Dharmendra Kumar Singh were arrested last night on charges of criminal conspiracy, Deputy Inspector General of Police (Southern Range) Arindam Nath said. They have been sent to custody for seven days.
Sudip Datta Bhowmik, 50, a crime reporter with Bengali daily Syandan Patrika and TV channel "Vanguard" in Tripura, was shot dead allegedly by a TSR personnel at the headquarters of 2nd battalion in RK Nagar, around 30 km from Agartala, on Tuesday.
Eyewitnesses reported that the journalist had an argument with Nandu Reang, the accused, following which he pulled out his service revolver and shot at Mr Bhowmick. He died on the spot and the soldier was arrested.
A day later, Tapan Debbarma, a commandant of the Tripura State Rifles, who the journalist had gone to meet, was also arrested as it is on his alleged orders that Reang, Debbarma's personal bodyguard, shot at Mr Bhowmik. The journalist's mobile phone was recovered from the commandant's possession.
According to the editor of Syandan Patrika, Subal Kumar Dey, Mr Bhowmik, who had written 11 stories against Tapan Debbarma's alleged misdeeds, was called by the commandant at the battalion's headquarters for a meeting. The journalist was reportedly investigating the "financial irregularities" at the battalion, known for its counter-insurgency operations in Tripura.
Mr Bhowmik is the second journalist to have been killed in the state in the last two months. In September, a 28-year-old television journalist, Santanu Bhowmik, was killed by a mob while covering a clash in Mandai, 35 km from Agartala. He was covering a political rally organised by the Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT). His mutilated body was found the next day.
Sudip Datta Bhowmik, 50, a crime reporter with Bengali daily Syandan Patrika and TV channel "Vanguard" in Tripura, was shot dead allegedly by a TSR personnel at the headquarters of 2nd battalion in RK Nagar, around 30 km from Agartala, on Tuesday.
A day later, Tapan Debbarma, a commandant of the Tripura State Rifles, who the journalist had gone to meet, was also arrested as it is on his alleged orders that Reang, Debbarma's personal bodyguard, shot at Mr Bhowmik. The journalist's mobile phone was recovered from the commandant's possession.
Advertisement
Mr Bhowmik is the second journalist to have been killed in the state in the last two months. In September, a 28-year-old television journalist, Santanu Bhowmik, was killed by a mob while covering a clash in Mandai, 35 km from Agartala. He was covering a political rally organised by the Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT). His mutilated body was found the next day.
Advertisement
COMMENTS
Advertisement
In 2017 Killing Of Tripura Journalist Sudip Datta Bhowmik, Main Accused Gets Bail Protests In Tripura Over Police Jobs, Many BJP Offices Ransacked Denied Leave, Tripura State Rifles Jawan Kills 2 Seniors: Police What Trump Rally Shooter Did On Last Day Of His Life Under-Fire Trainee IAS Officer Accuses Pune Collector Of Harassment Meet Indian-Origin Usha Chilukuri Vance, Wife Of Trump's Vice President Pick Four In Five Americans Fear Country Is Sliding Into Chaos: Polls Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450 Launched In India; Prices Start At Rs. 2.39 Lakh Admission Deadline Extended For EWS And Special Needs Children Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.