Journalists protest Delhi killings

CHANDIGARH, April 5: Local journalists today organised a silent march in Sector 17 piazza to protest against the killings of seven Delhi-...

CHANDIGARH, April 5: Local journalists today organised a silent march in Sector 17 piazza to protest against the killings of seven Delhi-based journalists in recent months.

Members of the Journalists Association, Chandigarh, belonging to various newspapers and news agencies, including the desk staff, later presented a memorandum to Punjab Governor and UT Administrator B. K. N. Chhibber at the Raj Bhawan.

According to Devinderjit Singh Darshi, general secretary of the Journalists Association, Chandigarh, gangsters were targeting media persons to stifle the voice of democracy.

Those killed in Delhi during the recent months were Outlook cartoonist Irfan Hussain, Indian Express reporter Shivani Bhatnagar, Zee TV producer Rajeev Raja and Monika Mallik, ND TV producer Shivani Jajodia, AIR announcer Sudha Gupta and Asia Week correspondent Anil Rattan.

The memorandum demanded setting up of a judicial commission to inquire into the murders and attacks on journalists. The judicial proceedings against the accused should be made time bound, the memorandum demanded. Those who participated in the procession included Rajeev Ranjan Nag Hindustan Times, G. S. Sidhhu AIR, Prabhjit Singh UNI, Vijay Dabber PTI, Manjit Singh PTI Rajinder S. Taggar, Navneet Sharma, Jatin Gandhi, Harpreet Bajwa, Priya Yadav, Swadesh Talwar, Anjul Tomar, Sanjeev Chopra all from The Indian Express, Sarbjit Singh The Tribune Jagtar Singh Punjabi Tribune, Sanjeev Gaur Business Standard, Jagmohan Phutela Ajit Samachar, T. S. Bedi Ajit, Kamla Sharma Chardi Kala, Archna Sethi Punjab Kesri, Manisha Bhalla Channel 4, Roshan Goyal Services Digest Sukhbir Bajwa Mehnat, Ajay Verma Desh Sevak, Davinder Kohli and K. S. Sandhu Northern News, Chaudhary Amra Ujala and Prem Verma Divya Himachal. Members of the Young Journalists8217; Guild also participated in the march.