NHRC Asserts Mandate to Protect Free Press, Acts on Journalists Assault Reports in Kerala, Manipur, Tripura
(By Syed Ali Taher Abedi)
New Delhi, October 22, 2025: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), India, has taken Suo motu cognizance of disturbing media reports regarding attacks on three journalists in Kerala, Manipur, and Tripura.
According to reports, the incidents occurred on August 30, 2025, in Kerala and Manipur, and on September 21, 2025, in Tripura. Taking serious note of these alleged assaults on members of the press, the Commission has issued notices to the Directors General of Police of the three States, directing them to submit detailed action-taken reports within two weeks.
The National Human Rights Commission, upon prima facie assessment, notes that such reported incidents, if substantiated, imperil the safety of journalists and impinge upon the freedom of the press—fundamental pillars of the democratic edifice enshrined and safeguarded under the Constitution. The Commission’s proactive engagement reaffirms its firm resolve to uphold the rights of media practitioners and to enforce accountability in instances of infringement.
The reported incidents disclose a troubling pattern of violence against members of the press in distinct regions of the country. In Tripura, it is alleged that a journalist attending a clothes distribution programme organised by a political party in the Hezamara area of West Tripura was violently assaulted by a group of miscreants armed with sticks and sharp weapons. Furthermore, the assailants purportedly stole the journalist’s motorcycle, compounding the gravity of the offence.
In Manipur, a journalist covering a flower festival in Laii Village, Senapathi District, was subject to a grave attack involving the use of an air gun, resulting in the journalist sustaining two gunshot injuries causing severe harm. Such use of force against a press representative engaged in reportage is a matter of utmost concern.
Similarly, in Kerala, another journalist was reportedly assaulted by a group of individuals near Mangattukavala in Thoudupuzha while returning from a wedding function. The physical violence inflicted upon the journalist necessitated immediate medical intervention.
In all three incidents, the victims were admitted to hospitals for treatment of their injuries, and appropriate FIRs were lodged by the police, initiating formal investigations. These occurrences collectively underscore a serious threat to the safety and freedom of journalists, necessitating urgent judicial and administrative attention to uphold constitutional protections and the rule of law.
