In a hit and run case, a tipper truck mowed down one video journalist in Assam’s Silchar town on Sunday night.
Video journalist, Malin Sarma, who worked for Barak Television Network (BTN), a local cable news service, was returning home after his duties when this fatal accident took place.
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Having received a phone call at 10:50 pm on Sunday, last, Malin Sarma, who was riding his scooty, brought it to a halt adjacent to Silchar’s fire brigade station and a stone’s throw away from Tarapur police patrol post when this tipper ran over him and fled from the spot.
Within minutes, the news spread like wild fire and journalists and media personnel from all parts of Silchar town reached Tarapur police patrol post and demanded the arrest of the driver and full scale investigation into the whole incident.
Many reporters, photo and video journalists blocked Tarapur road and demanded the district administration to put a check on these speeding vehicles as well as check the licenses of these drivers from time to time.
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The road blockade was lifted at 3 am on Monday morning only after the circle officer of Silchar, Dhrubajyoti Pathak, assured of looking into these demands.
However, even after repeated appeals by these journalists, SP Cachar, Mugdhajyoti Dev Mahanta and DC, Laya Madduri did not visit the spot or talk to the agitating journalists.
Meanwhile, Malin Sarma’s dead body was sent to Silchar Medical College and Hospital for post mortem at 12 midnight.
Abhijit Paul, Secretary of Silchar District Congress Committee, who too visited SMCH to pay his last respect to a seasoned journalist, Malin Sarma, said, “What has happened is unfortunate. But, the district administration should take some concrete steps now, or never.”
Malin Sarma began his journalistic career in the year 2003.
He leaves behind his wife and a daughter.