By Firoz.T.Totanawala
The Bangalore Metro Reporter
ERASING THE SCRIBE
CRIME REPORTER BRUTALLY KILLED IN MUMBAI
You can kill the body but not the spirit. In the world of opportunists and people full of vested interests, there exist people who take the risk of their lives in search of truth.
Jyotirmoy Dey, a 56 year old senior journalist working with the Mumbai’s famous daily tabloid ‘Mid-Day’, was one such man who unfurled the flag of Fearless Journalism. Dey was shot dead by four gunmen on two motor bikes who shot him four times at point- blank range in broad daylight in Mumbai on 12th June, Sunday afternoon near his home. The murder has of course shaken the country and particularly the Media fraternity.
Dey started his career as a freelance photographer and also worked with The Indian Express and Hindustan Times. He became famous particularly for his writing about Mafia, crime and underworld activities in the financial hub of the country, Mumbai, and was Mid-Day’s Investigations- Editor. He had been reporting crime for the past 22 years in Mumbai and he can be regarded as the senior most Investigative journalist of India. He was the first reporter who exposed the Rs. 8000 crores Oil scam in Maharashtra and had also authored 2 books on Mumbai’s underworld namely Zero Dial: The Dangerous World of Informers and Khallass. Though a victim now, Dey, was a symbol of fearless journalism.
History says that Media has a vital role in a Democracy and efforts to curb it do not materialize. India is the world's largest democracy and has a vibrant media in English and other languages. Even the journalists here are highly respected among the readers and society in general. Though rare, attempts to stifle free speech and attacks on journalists do occur now and then.
About 27 journalists have been killed in India since 1992 of whom most of the victims were from print Media covering politics, business and corruption. But, the fear of death also does not repel scribes to run away from the dark realities of the society. They continue to explore the hidden secrets and bring it to surface for the society to learn and react.
On the contrary such attacks on journalists out of fear of exposure or in retaliation challenge the freedom of the press and the pursuit of objective reporting. Such incidents signify insanity affected by insane individuals which kills innocent citizens. And definitely, such kind of attack on freedom of press cannot be tolerated by any society. Of course, the whole Media and society in general has condemned the brutal killing of the Journalist.
The racketeers will continue to hold the society ransom with their illegal and harmful activities and there will be scribes who will fearlessly bring their truth to surface. If one Dey is killed, a dozen more will rise. No one can kill the spirit of fearless journalism. One can only kill Jyotirmoy Dev, but no one can cease the becoming of Jyotirmoy Dev.
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