Journalist Parag Kr Das' family still seeking justice on 23rd death anniversary

Guwahati, May 17, 2019:

On the occasion of the 23rd death anniversary of journalist, writer and human rights activist Parag Kr Das, both journalists and common citizens paid homage to the departed soul in different places of the state on Friday.

Parag Kr Das’s wife Purabi Das and daughter Pranami Das along with his friends and followers gathered near the memorial stone erected at the spot where he was shot dead to pray for the peace of his soul. They also demanded justice for the departed and sought punishment for the people involved in his assassination.

Meanwhile, Manab Adhikar Sangram Samiti (MASS) has also commemorated the day at Guwahati Press Club in Ambari in Guwahati. Journalists from across the city attended the event. Young journalists have also actively participated in the commemoration of the journalist.

It is to be mentioned that on May 17, 1996, Parag Kumar Das was killed in broad daylight in Guwahati while he was heading towards his son’s school in Guwahati. He was then the Executive Editor of the Assamese daily ‘Asomiya Pratidin’. He was also the founding leader of Manab Adhikar Sangram Samiti (MASS).

He was assassinated by four SULFA members - Mridul Phukan alias Samar Kakati, Diganta Baruah, Tapan Dutta alias Biswajit Saikia and Nayan Das alias Guli. His open murder created huge outrage in the entire state of Assam and the human rights circles of the country. In 2001, CBI filed its chargesheet in Kamrup District and Sessions Court against the four accused - all members of the surrendered group of ULFA. Before the CBI filed its chargesheet, Diganta Baruah and Tapan Dutta were killed and in 2003, Nayan Das was hacked to death by a furious mob in Dibrugarh. Promod Gogoi and Prabin Sarma, two other suspects went scotfree due to a lack of evidence against them. Mridul Phukan is the only surviving accused in the case. But on 28 July 2009, Justice Dilip Kumar Mahanta, District and Sessions Judge, Kamrup acquitted the prime accused citing lack of solid evidence.

Parag was the man who paved a new way for journalism in Assam. He exposed the corruption of the Government and gross human rights violations in the name of anti-insurgency operations.