On August 30, 2025, journalist Dip Saikia, a correspondent for Hornbill TV (Nagaland), was reporting from Laii Village in Senapathi District, Manipur, during the Zinnia Flower Festival—a public cultural event drawing significant local attention. While covering the festival for news purposes, Saikia was suddenly and violently attacked: an individual armed with an air gun shot Saikia twice at close range, inflicting severe wounds on his right leg and under his armpit. There was immediate chaos as attendees at the festival rushed to his aid. Saikia was quickly transported to the Senapathi District Hospital, but due to the seriousness of his injuries, required advanced trauma care and was shifted to Nagaland for further medical treatment. News of this violent assault circulated rapidly in both the Assam and Nagaland media, leading to public anxiety regarding the persistent dangers journalists face when reporting in conflict-sensitive or ethnically diverse regions like Manipur. There has been growing fear of targeted attacks on the press, especially as ethnic and communal tensions flare up during public gatherings. The local administration has not provided updates on the identity or arrest of the perpetrator, highlighting impunity for attacks on the press.

 HRDA urges the NHRC to take suo moto cognizance under Section 12(a), to direct a thorough and independent investigation, ensure accountability by identifying and prosecuting the assailant(s), and strengthen official commitments to journalist safety and freedom of the press in volatile regions.