AGARTALA, Nov 24 (TIWN): Responding to reports of the killing of journalist Sudip Dutta Bhaumik inside the 2nd battalion headquarters of Tripura State Rifles near Agartala on 21 November, Asmita Basu, Programmes Director at Amnesty International India said. “Sudip Dutta Bhowmick’s death, coming within two months of the murder of journalist Shantanu Bhowmick, raises serious concerns about the state of press freedom and security of journalists in Tripura.”

“The police must investigate whether Sudip Bhaumik was killed for trying to expose corruption within the paramilitary force, as his editor has alleged. The Tripura state government must ensure that journalists are not targeted for simply doing their jobs.”

In September, prominent journalist Gauri Lankesh was killed by gunmen outside her home in Bengaluru, Karnataka. The Committee to Protect Journalists has said that there have been no convictions in any of the 27 cases of journalists murdered for their work in India since 1992.

Amnesty International is a London-based non-governmental organization focused on human rights. The organization claims to have over 7 million members and supporters around the world.