Tripura: Oil thieves slits journalist’s throat over news report

AGARTALA, June 20, 2018: With rise in crimes against journalists in India, yet another incident came into light where a group of people who were allegedly involved in the oil pilferage scam had tried to kill a journalist on Monday night by slitting his throat with a knife at Dharmanagar in Tripura which had also witnessed the killing of two media persons late last year.

The journalist identified as Suman Debnath (30), a TV journalist had suffered a deep cut on his throat when he was attacked by Simin Miya at Dharmanagar oil depot.

The incident took place when Debnath had gone to the spot after Miya called him for a meeting, apparently to discuss news reports published about the gang. While Miya is absconding, police have arrested his accomplice Mihir Deb on Tuesday.

Debnath, who is undergoing treatment in the district hospital, is out of danger. He said he was attacked because he had reported the criminal activities of the group in detail. He added that Miya attacked him with a dagger in the middle of the conversation. "The attackers ran away when I cried out to attract the attention of people," he said.

Doctors said Denath survived only because the dagger struck his vocal cord but missed the respiratory tract.

Police sources said a crackdown had begun against the gang recently, which possibly could have angered the criminals. Security was put on alert at the inter-state check post on Tripura's borders with Assam and Mizoram to catch Miya and other accomplices.

Police official said, "We have also asked BSF to keep a watch on the movements of the gang".