GUWAHATI: Assam Government has decided to extend financial aid to the families of the journalists who were either killed by extremists or are missing in different incidents of violence over the years in the State.
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal will formally distribute one-time ex-gratia of Rs. 5 lakh each to the next of the kin of 32 state journalists who have lost their lives or gone missing in various incidents of violence, in a programme to be held on December 22 at Sri Sri Madhavadeva International Auditorium of Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra, Panjabari, here.
The list of deceased and missing journalists includes: Kamala Saikia, Al-Farid Sajjad and Jiten Chutia from Sivasagar; Pabitra Narayan from Charaideo; Kundarmal Agarwala from Nagaon; Kanak Raj Medhi from Kamrup; Parag Kumar Das, Anil Mazumdar and Hemanta Sarma from Kamrup (Metro); Jogendra Daimari from Udalguri; Jogesh Uzir, Manikan Das and Dipak Sargiyari from Baksa; Manik Deori from Karbi Anglong; Ratneswar Sarma Shastri and Hari Chandra Boro from Barpeta; Girija Das, Pangatan Ali, Bodosa Narzary, Jagajit Saikia from Kokrajhar; Dineswar Brahma and Raihanu Niyam from Dhubri; Prahlad Goala from Golaghat; Ranbir Rai from Cachar; Prakash Hazarika from Biswanath; Krishna Chettri from Dima Hasao; Bimala Prasad Talukdar, Nurul Haque, Muslemuddin Ahmed and Kaushik Ch. Bora from Hojai, Ankur Borbora from Jorhat and Indramohan Hakasam from Goalpara.
The missing journalists whose families will also be extended financial aid are: Manikan Das, Pangatan Ali, Ankur Borbora and Girija Das.
A collection of brief biographical sketches of the 32 journalists, entitled, “Shraddhar Ekajoli” will be released during the programme. A collection of articles by the rural journalists of Assam who recently visited Madhya Pradesh on a Goodwill Mission organised by the Information and Public Relations Department, Assam entitled, “Madhya Pradesh: Ek Ananya Jatra”, will also be released in the programme.