RUKUM: I received a message 11 days ago from home that my mother had taken ill. I had been in the district headquarters Khalanga due to some personal work. After I received the message, I thought of visiting my mother. I went to bed after going through published articles for evaluating the write-ups and for finding out other issues to write on. The following morning at about 6:15, my mobile rang. I was worried thinking whether my mother was serious. I checked if the call was from home. But the caller ID showed no number.

When I picked the phone, I was wished good morning. When I asked who was speaking, a male voice replied, "Why do you need to know? Writing about the widows? What a famous journalist you have become! How did you have the right to write about Tirtha? Should I send you to heaven? Yadu Gautam is already there and you can meet him there." I felt threatened.

When I asked who he was, he hung up the phone, saying, "Still bragging? Do you wish to be alive or not? Should I list you among the dead journalists?" I received similar threats the following day as well. That night, some fellows visited the area around my house. I reckon they were on a recce. I had written an article about former lawmaker Tirtha Gautam, the wife of UML leader Yadu Gautam, who was murdered by Maoist cadres. I was threatened in connection of that article.

I did not receive any threatening call for 10 days. Yesterday I got a call from an unidentified number that my sister-in-law had fallen sick and was brought to Salle for treatment. Without giving it much thought, I set out for Salle. I was just 50 metres from my house, when I realised that three masked men were behind me. I was terrified. I started running, I called Tej Kumar Sharma, one of my friends. He told me he was in Bagkhor. I then called another friend Dhanbir Dahal and sought his help. Meanwhile, the my stalkers had caught up with me. One of them got hold of me. When I started to shout, I was pushed off the cliff. I don't know what followed.

I'll never be intimidated by such attacks. Nor do I want my name to be among killed journalists.

(Based on a conversation with Shakti Kumar Pun of The Himalayan Times on Wednesday in Rukum hospital)