Shillong, Feb 12: The Press Emblem Campaign (PEC), a global media safety and rights body, has condoled the death of Rohit Kumar Biswal, a journalist from Odisha’s Kalahandi who died in a landmine blast.
In a press statement, PEC said 40-year-old Biswal, who was from Madanpur-Rampur in the state, went to Kalahandi to enquire about Maoist posters urging people to boycott the February 16-24 panchayat election.
“Rohit Kumar Biswal (40) stepped on the mine on 5 February 2022 and died on the spot. Rohit used to work for an Oriya daily (Dharitri) and he went to report about the posters of ultra-left extremists (belonging to outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist), which were put on trees near to Karlakhunta bridge asking people to boycott the elections,” PEC said.
Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik expressed grief over Rohit’s death and announced a crore in compensation.
Asserting that there is no place of violence in democracy, Patnaik assured that the government would take necessary actions against the perpetrators under the law.
India earlier lost Buddhinath Avinash Jha (a journalist cum RTI activist) from Bihar on November 12 last year, informed Nava Thakuria, PEC’s India representative. He added that the populous country earlier lost several media workers in 2021.
