GUWAHATI, March 29: A senior journalist of a city-based vernacular newspaper was found dead under “mysterious” circumstances in Hatigaon area here on Monday morning.
The body of Purbajyoti Chutiya, an assistant editor of Assamese daily, Niyomiya Barta, was recovered from a drain in front of his residence.
Police said the cause of the senior journalist’s death could only be ascertained from the report of the post mortem, which was conducted at Guwahati Medical College Hospital.
Family members told police that Chutiya (in his early fifties) could not be contacted after he had gone out of his residence between 10.30 pm and 11pm on Sunday night.
Investigation teams, including experts from the state forensic science laboratory, meanwhile, visited the site of the incident on Monday morning and started the preliminary investigation.
Hailing from Moran in Upper Assam, Chutiya has been associated with several media organisations in Guwahati over the past three decades, with a long stint in sports journalism during the period.
He leaves behind his wife and a daughter.
Members of the media fraternity expressed shock at the untimely death of the journalist and demanded a thorough investigation into the incident.
The Journalists’ Forum Assam (JFA) in a statement said that the media fraternity has lost a dedicated journalist, a prolific columnist and an amiable person.
JFA urged the investigation agencies to ascertain the actual cause of the journalist’s death.
The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee also demanded a high-level inquiry into the incident and asked the government to take immediate measures to ensure financial security of the family members of the departed journalist.
Meanwhile, Assam BJP president Ranjeet Kumar Dass condoled the untimely death of Chutiya. terming it as an irreparable loss for the state media fraternity