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August 31, 2025 – India –
Deep Saikia, a journalist with Nagaland-based Hornbill TV, was seriously injured on Saturday evening while covering the Zinnia (or Cherry Blossom) Flower Festival in Laii (Lair) village, located in Manipur’s Naga-majority Senapati district. The assailant, armed with an air gun, opened fire, striking Saikia in the right leg and underarm. The gunman was intercepted by villagers and handed over to the police alongside the weapon.
Initially treated at the Senapati district hospital, Saikia was later transferred to Dimapur, Nagaland, for further medical care. According to local reports, his condition was described as stable and “out of danger”. Saikia himself believes the attack was deliberate and not random, citing prior tensions as a possible motive.
Those tensions stem from an earlier public confrontation on August 23, when Nagaland’s Deputy Chief Minister, Yanthungo Patton, berated Saikia at a public event in Wokha district over his reporting. Patton, seen in a video from the event, warned him in front of the community. Activists and press bodies have expressed concern that this may have emboldened the attacker.
Hornbill TV editor Dzuthono Mekro condemned the shooting as “a direct attack on press freedom and democratic values,” urging both Manipur and Nagaland governments to ensure a comprehensive, impartial investigation and swift justice. Press organisations across the region joined in denouncing the incident, highlighting growing threats journalists face in sensitive areas.
The attack has sparked alarm across press freedom circles. Journalist unions and civil society groups have demanded accountability and adequate protection for media practitioners, particularly in conflict-prone zones like the Assam–Nagaland border. Saikia’s case underscores the urgent need for policy safeguards and unwavering institutional support for journalistic integrity and safety.
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