Indian media, TV channel's silence on CRPF encounter in Chhattisgarh: Naxals or Innocent tribal villagers!

The silence of TV channels and 'national' newspapers on the issue of killing of 17 persons in Bijapur in Chhattisgarh reveals the pathetic state of Indian press.

On an encounter in which many innocent villagers are suspected to have died and the veracity of which is being questioned, national media largely remained oblivious. The government version was accepted in major newspapers.

There is no dearth of courageous journalists in Bastar region, which has predominantly tribal populace, but no input was taken from the ground. Many teenagers including bright school students who had topped in the exam were found murdered.

Activists, politicians and local people are shouting that this is a fake encounter. There is a growing feeling that either informer's tip proved wrong or it was a botch up.


Even security experts have expressed the opinion hinting that Basaguda villagers' killing doesn't seem a fair operation. No weapons were found from the spot and on bodies there were injury marks suggesting as if they were attacked with axes also.

Even if in this situation our media will not report the truth, what can one expect of it? We do not expect our journalists to be suspicious of government actions all the time but if there are complaints of excesses by police or CRPF, shouldn't there be proper questions raised and the allegations published?

[*Some newspapers and a few channels have given space to this view. But mostly the killings have not been considered as important as they may not fetch the channels, TRP]