New Delhi: In a tragic incident, 35-year-old journalist Salman Ali Khan, working for Dastak News, was shot dead in Madhya Pradesh’s Rajgarh district on Tuesday. The attack occurred in front of his 9-year-old son on Hospital Road in Sarangpur, reported the Clarion India.
The Indian Journalists Union (IJU) has condemned the murder of Salman Ali Khan. Salman, who lived in Sarangpur, was killed in public while standing with his 9-year-old son in front of a hospital.
The IJU demanded justice for the slain journalist, expressing concern over the police’s failure to ensure safety, despite prior attacks on him that resulted in serious injuries. IJU President Geetartha Pathak and Secretary-General Sabina Inderjit stated that journalists in Madhya Pradesh are increasingly facing attacks from antisocial elements, criminals, and political interests.
They urged the state government to provide safety and security to the working journalists, and called for a swift inquiry into Khan’s murder.
According to the police, three assailants approached Ali while he was riding a scooter with his son and opened fire at him from point-blank range. Ali was critically injured and rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
This is the second attack on Ali in less than a year. Sarangpur Police Station in-charge Akanksha Haada stated, “We have identified the suspected killers and will apprehend them soon.” A case has been registered under Section 103 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and investigations are ongoing.
Ali’s death has sparked outrage among the local community and press organizations, who are demanding a thorough investigation and increased protection for journalists. Journalist Zakir Ali Tyagi, a friend of the deceased, revealed that Ali had been previously targeted. In 2022, his house was demolished after he was falsely implicated in a case involving a Hindu woman. The woman later testified that her husband had forced her to make the false accusations against Ali, who was a Muslim. Despite being cleared of the charges, Ali’s home was already destroyed by the authorities.
This recent killing has further highlighted the challenges and dangers faced by journalists.
The community continues to demand justice for the slain journalist.
