Nigarani Daily journalists receive death threats

KISHOR BUDHATHOKI

BIRATNAGAR: Three journalists associated with the Nigarani Daily published from Morang's Urlabari have received death threats today from the UCPN-Maoist activists.

Following the threat, Nigarani Daily's editor-in-chief Hari Koirala, editor Milan K Raut and correspondent Tejan Khadka today arrived at Biratnagar demanding security.

Nigarani Daily's journalists received threats for the coverage of the news related to the scuffle that took place between the groups of Maoist member Susan Limbu and Nepali Congress Nine Number president Khadag Fago 14 days ago in Morang's Urlabari. Maoist activists Arun Magar and Amar Dhimal were injured during the incident and had breathed their last while undergoing treatment at the hospital.

Editor- in-chief Koirala said that Maoist activists had been issuing threats to them and warning to shut the paper's publication for Urlabari incident. A person identifying himself as a close aide of Susan Limbu called Tejan Khadka's cell phone and issued death threat and warned to close the paper's publication.

Likewise, an unidentified person called Milan K Raut's cell phone from Dharan and threatened his life. According to Koirala, Maoist leaders had been delivering speeches warning to close the daily after the incident.

Issuing a press release on Monday, Nigarani Media House's acting chairman Babarjung Thapa condemned the Maoist attitude towards the daily.

Displaced journalists today met Morang SP Niraj Bahadur Shahi and demanded security. In response, Shahi pledged to search the people involved in the incident and bring the guilty to book. Area Police Office Urlabari said that investigation had begun into the incident.

Meanwhile, issuing separate press statement today, Morang chapter of Federation of Nepali Journalists and Press Chautari Morang deplored the incident in the strongest terms and urged the concerned authorities to bring the guilty to book.

UCPN-Maoist Morang sub in-charge Ganesh Upreti, however, refuted the allegation, saying that his party cadres were involved in the incident. He pledged to extend support for the search of the guilty.