Where sword is mightier than pen

Journalism is a deadly profession in Nepal. Perks of the job include receiving death threats, abduction, physical attacks and even death. Prices that many are paying in a country riddled with political instability and elusive peace.

Updated on: Jul 26, 2010, 24:39:03 IST

Hindustan Times | By Utpal Parashar, Kathmandu

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

Journalism is a deadly profession in Nepal. Perks of the job include receiving death threats, abduction, physical attacks and even death. Prices that many are paying in a country riddled with political instability and elusive peace.

On Thursday night, a gang of unidentified assailants shot dead Devi Prasad Dhital, chairman of Tulsipur FM, a local radio station in Dang district bordering Uttar Pradesh, while he was returning home.

Dhital is the third media mogul in Nepal who has fallen prey to bullets this year. In February, Jamim Shah, owner of Space Time Network, was gunned down in Kathmandu. A month later, Arun Singhania, owner of Today Group suffered a similar fate in Janakpur.

Last year, Uma Singh, a 26-year-old journalist working for Singhania's group, was stabbed to death by a group of 12-15 men at her home in Janakpur.

Records compiled by Committee to Protect Journalists, a New York-based non-profit organisation, say that 14 journalists have been killed in Nepal since 1992. Motives behind half of those deaths have not been confirmed.

A CPJ report shows while 14 per cent of the deaths were due to dangerous assignments, 86 percent were results of murderous attacks. Government inaction is biggest cause for journalists becoming targets.

Nepal ranks seventh in a list of 12 countries "where journalists are murdered on a recurring basis and governments are unable or unwilling to prosecute the killers".

"Nepal's historic political shift from monarchy to a coalition-ruled democratic republic…. brought no redress in media attacks," the report stated.

And it's not just murders alone. Death threats, murderous attacks and abductions of journalists make headlines with disturbing frequency. Attacks on media offices and vehicles carrying newspapers are also common.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

Get the latest World News, breaking headlines and global updates from the US, UK, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Russia and other countries. Follow major international events on Hindustan Times.