Woman journalist attacked in Nepal

Attacks on a woman journalist and a TV news crew in two separate incidents within five days have again brought into focus the threat posed to journalists in Nepal, reports Utpal Parashar.

Updated on: Dec 10, 2009, 01:02:06 IST

Hindustan Times | By Utpal Parashar, Kathmandu

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

Attacks on a woman journalist and a TV news crew in two separate incidents within five days have again brought into focus the threat posed to journalists in Nepal.

Tika Bista, a correspondent of the Kathmandu-based Rajdhani daily, was allegedly attacked by a group of people with sharp weapons near her home in Rukum district of western Nepal on Tuesday.

Reports say that the journalist had called her colleague Dhanbir Dahal minutes before the accident saying that three men were following her. “I tried to call her back, but her mobile was switched off,” he told local journalists.

According to reports, an unconscious Tika was found with wound marks on her body on a steep hill. Her smashed laptop and mobile were found nearby. She was airlifted to Kathmandu on Wednesday for further treatment.

The woman journalist, who writes on social evils and plight of women, had allegedly received death threats on her phone and had informed the police and district administration about them.

Several media organisations and associations including the Federation of Nepali Journalists have condemned the attack and sought prompt action against those guilty of assaulting Bista.

In another incident, a group of Maoist supporters had attacked a TV new channel crew and damaged their vehicle during the daylong nationwide strike called by the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) on Sunday.

The fresh attacks have brought into focus the threat posed by journalists working in Nepal, a country which saw an end to a 10 year civil war in 2006, but where peace is yet to make home.x

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 headlines from US news and global updates from Pakistan, Nepal, UK, Bangladesh, Russia and US Iran war Live, get all the latest headlines in one place on Hindustan Times.