Will continue to raise tribals’ plight: Bastar journalist after 17 months in jail

Santosh Yadav, a Bastar-based journalist, who was released after 17 months in prison, said he will continue to raise the plight of tribals of Bastar through journalism.

Updated on: Mar 9, 2017, 17:03:04 IST

Hindustan Times, Raipur | By Ritesh Mishra

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Santosh Yadav, a Bastar-based journalist who was arrested for his alleged links with the Maoist in 2015 and released from jail after 17 months, said on Thursday he will continue to raise the plight of tribals in the area.

Journalist Santosh Yadav comes out of the Kanker jail in Chhattisgarh on getting bail after 17 months. (HT Photo)

Yadav was arrested by the state police in October 2015 on suspicion that he had links with Maoist leader Shankar in Darbha area of Chhattisgarh’s Bastar. He was booked on charges of rioting, criminal conspiracy and associating with a terrorist organisation.

The Supreme Court granted bail to Yadav on February 28.

“I want to devote my life to social service for the tribals of Bastar. Journalism is my passion and I will continue it until the end. Working in Bastar as a journalist is very difficult and dangerous but the voice of the tribals should reach to the world,” Yadav told Hindustan Times.

“Patrakaaron ko Naxalion ka pratinidhi mana jaa raha, ye sharmindigi valee baat hai (Journalists are being treated as representatives of Maoists which is shameful),” Yadav said.

“Innocent tribals are killed and jailed branding them as Maoists which should be stopped.”

He was lodged in Jagdalpur jail but was later shifted to Kanker jail after he reportedly protested against the substandard food given to the inmates.

“We demanded reading material and good food and started a satyagraha in Bastar jail. It was a 14-points demand list and I was leading the satyagraha for which I was badly beaten up and shifted to Kanker jail. In Kanker jail also, a constable had badly beaten me. In Bastar jail, the condition of the inmates is very bad,” he said.

Yadav’s arrest led to a protest by journalists who organised a march to the chief minister’s house in Raipur.

Journalists, especially women, have been under fire in Bastar region. In 2016, Malini Subramaniam of Scroll was allegedly attacked by unidentified people and had to leave Bastar later. In the same year, Alok Prakash Putul of BBC was also forced to leave Bastar, where he had gone to report on a story.

The police also arrested Sai Reddy in 2008 and Samaru Nag in 2015 under the Chhattisgarh Special Security Act. In addition, there have been reports of journalists facing threat from groups backed by the police.

Critics say the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party government has used these charges to clamp down on free speech and independent political reporting from the mineral-rich region that has seen several local and Maoist uprisings.

But the BJP has refused to back down, saying journalists in Chhattisgarh were safer than anywhere else.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ritesh Mishra
Ritesh Mishra is the State Correspondent for Chhattisgarh with Hindustan Times. He reports on Maoism, internal security, politics, mining, governance, and major developments shaping the state. Based in Raipur, he has covered Chhattisgarh since 2016, reporting extensively from the Bastar region and other conflict-affected areas. With nearly two decades of experience in journalism, Ritesh has built a reputation for ground reporting from some of India's most challenging terrains. His coverage spans Left-Wing Extremism, counter-insurgency operations, elections, tribal affairs, environmental issues, infrastructure, mining, and socio-economic developments. He has reported on major security operations, policy initiatives, wildlife crime, and the changing dynamics of conflict and development in Central India. Before moving to Chhattisgarh, Ritesh spent eight years reporting from Madhya Pradesh, covering politics, administration, crime, development, and social issues. Throughout his career, he has reported on various forms of extremism in Central India, combining field reporting with in-depth analysis to produce accurate, balanced, and impactful journalism. Prior to joining Hindustan Times, Ritesh worked with The Pioneer and The Free Press Journal, where he covered a wide range of beats and honed his skills in political, investigative, and field reporting. His reporting is marked by exclusive stories, extensive fieldwork, and a commitment to factual, on-the-ground journalism that brings complex issues to a wider audience.Read More

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