On the night of October 23, 2025, at around 10 PM, senior journalist Laxmi Narayan Singh Pappu was violently attacked near Harsh Hotel in the Civil Lines area of Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. The assailants used a sharp-edged weapon to inflict over two dozen severe wounds on Pappu, causing his immediate and tragic death at the scene. The attack was carried out with such brutality that the news sent shockwaves through the media and local community, raising widespread alarm over the ever-increasing risks faced by journalists in Uttar Pradesh.

Following the incident, Prayagraj police acted promptly to register an FIR and launched a manhunt. Within hours, three individuals, including the alleged prime accused Vishal, were apprehended. According to official accounts and multiple news sources, Vishal attempted to resist arrest and was shot three times in the legs by police during an encounter, leading to his capture. The crime and subsequent police action were widely reported in both local and national media, underlining the urgent threat to press freedom and rampant violence against media professionals in India.

The murder of Laxmi Narayan Singh Pappu has intensified demands from media organizations, civil society, and the broader human rights community for robust institutional intervention and justice. Observers have expressed grave concerns about the unsafe working conditions for journalists, particularly those reporting in high-risk and politically sensitive environments.

HRDA urgently appeals to the NHRC to invoke Section 12(a) of the Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Act, 2019, and to take suo moto cognizance of this shocking incident. The organization seeks an independent, impartial, and time-bound inquiry through the NHRC’s investigation wing, with a focus on ensuring all perpetrators are brought to justice and concrete steps are implemented to protect journalists operating in the state and across India