Parashar Biswas

Journalist

Tripura

HRDA has issued an urgent appeal to the National Human Rights Commission of India on September 18, 2020, regarding the assault of journalist Mr. Parashar Biswas by unknown persons for being critical of the Tripura Chief Minister. 

Mr. Biswas, a journalist with Bengali daily Syandan Patrika in Tripura, was active in reporting public issues in a critical manner. On September 12, 2020, at around11:30 PM when he was asleep, 6 -7 persons wearing face masks and helmets barged into his house and assaulted him brutally, injuring his head, neck and back. They warned him against posting comments on Facebook, and fled when neighbours assembled outside the house, saying they would be back soon. 

The attack on Mr. Biswas was in reprisal for a video he posted on Facebook criticising the Chief Minister’s threat to the media a day earlier. He was taken to Dholai District Hospital with the help of fire service and police personnel and treated for his injuries. On September 13, 2020, an FIR was filed in the Ambassa Police station under the Sections 325, 447, 341, and 34 of the Indian Penal Code, but no action was taken against the perpetrators. 

The Tripura journalists’ body criticised the CM’s statement and expressed concern at the number of journalists being assaulted for their critical comments on the statement.