New Delhi, 28 June 2024: The Indian Journalists Union (IJU) strongly condemns the killing of journalist Shiv Shankar Jha in Maripur village in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur late on Tuesday night allegedly by the Liquor mafia. The IJU demands the culprits be apprehended and brought to book, as well as the Nitish Kumar government ensure safety and security of the fourth estate. 

As per reports, Jha, who runs a news channel on YouTube was waylaid by unidentified men near a temple in his village while returning from work and stabbed him twice. The police rushed him to the hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries. While the police are yet to make any arrests, an officer said the killing could be due to his journalism as he was being ‘targeted by the liquor mafia’, and he had complained to the police a couple of days ago. 

In a statement, IJU President and former member of Press Council of India Geetartha Pathak and Secretary General and IFJ Vice President Sabina Inderjit expressed serious concern over the growing attacks on journalists. The police inaction following Jha’s complaint reflects the dismal earnestness that state authorities attach to journalists’ safety and security. Those behind Jha’s killing must be brought to book immediately and the State government must enact a safety law for journalists and media workers to act as a deterrent for both state and non-state actors from attacking the fourth estate, the IJU demanded.