Journalists come under heightened risk in restive Terai districts

Threat to journalists working in Terai areas has grown with violent protests seeing no letup.

According to Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ), two journalists were physically attacked by the protesters in the eastern town of Biratnagar on Monday evening and Tuesday morning. A group of protesters manhandled Kamal Rimal, a local reporter, last evening while a second journalist, Bikram Luintel, was attacked when he was covering the protests in Biratnagar today.

Some groups infiltrating into the demonstrations in Biratnagar have been attacking journalists indiscriminately, making it difficult for reporters to cover the incidents even during off-curfew hours, a FNJ release stated.

Some journalists have been displaced in Sunsari, Bara, Parsa and Rautahat because of threats by the protesting groups.

Meanwhile, FNJ president Bishnu Nisthuri today visited Birgunj and held discussion with local journalists, who have come under heightened threat as the unrest continue in the area.

FNJ general secretary Mahendra Bista in his statement expressed serious concern about the continuous attack on journalists and media outlets and called upon the protesting Madhesi groups to implement their commitment to the security of journalists during demostrations. He also demanded that the government take action against those attacking the journalists. nepalnews.com mk Jan 30 07

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