Lok Sabha Question No. 521 (STARRED), answered on 2017-04-11
Subject: Attacks on Journalists
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: JANAK RAM, ANIRUDHAN SAMPATH

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. †*521

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 11 th  APRIL,  2017 / CHAITRA 21, 1939 (SAKA)

ATTACKS ON JOURNALISTS

†*521. SHRI JANAK RAM: DR. A. SAMPATH:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  the  number  of  attacks  on  journalists  are  on  the  rise  in  recent years and several journalists have also been killed in such attacks;

(b) if so, the number of such attacks on journalists reported along with the number of journalists killed in these attacks during the last three years; and

(c)  the  steps  being  taken  by  the  Government  to  ensure  the  security  of journalists?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI HANSRAJ GANGARAM AHIR)

(a) to (c): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN REPLY TO  THE  LOK  SABHA  STARRED QUESTION NO.*521 FOR 11.4.2017.

(a) to (b): Data on attacks on media persons (under section 325, 326, 326A & 326B IPC) is maintained by NCRB since 2014. State/UT wise cases registered and persons arrested is at Annexure. (c):  'Police' and 'Public Order' are State subjects under the seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India. The existing laws are adequate for protection of citizens including journalists. The Press Council of India takes prompt action on receipt of specific complaints from affected persons.  Representations on providing  security  are  received  from  or  on  behalf  of  individuals,  including journalists.  All  such  representations  are  examined  and  based  on  inputs received regarding threat assessment, required action is taken.

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## State/UT wise cases registered (CR) and persons arrested (PAR) under attack on media persons (under section 325, 326, 326A & 326B IPC) during 2014 & 2015.

| SI.   | State/UT          | 2014   |     | 2015   |     |
|-------|-------------------|--------|-----|--------|-----|
| No.   | State/UT          | CR     | PAR | CR     | PAR |
| 1     | Andhra Pradesh    | 4      | 1   | 1      | 0   |
| 2     | Arunachal Pradesh | 0      | 0   | 0      | 0   |
| 3     | Assam             | 2      | 0   | 0      | 0   |
| 4     | Bihar             | 22     | 3   | 0      | 0   |
| 5     | Chhattisgarh      | 0      | 0   | 1      | 0   |
| 6     | Goa               | 0      | 0   | 0      | 0   |
| 7     | Gujarat           | 3      | 4   | 0      | 0   |
| 8     | Haryana           | 0      | 0   | 0      | 0   |
| 9     | Himachal Pradesh  | 0      | 0   | 0      | 0   |
| 10    | Jammu &Kashmir    | 0      | 0   | 0      | 0   |
| 11    | Jharkhand         | 3      | 0   | 0      | 0   |
| 12    | Karnataka         | 0      | 0   | 0      | 0   |
| 13    | Kerala            | 0      | 0   | 0      | 0   |
| 14    | Madhya Pradesh    | 7      | 10  | 19     | 32  |
| 15    | Maharashtra       | 5      | 6   | 1      | 0   |
| 16    | Manipur           | 0      | 0   | 0      | 9   |
| 17    | Meghalaya         | 1      | 2   | 0      | 0   |
| 18    | Mizoram           | 0      | 0   | 0      | 0   |
| 19    | Nagaland          | 0      | 0   | 0      | 0   |
| 20    | Odisha            | 1      | 0   | 0      | 0   |
| 21    | Punjab            | 0      | 0   | 0      | 0   |
| 22    | Rajasthan         | 0      | 0   | 5      | 0   |
| 23    | Sikkim            | 0      | 0   | 0      | 0   |
| 24    | Tamil Nadu        | 0      | 0   | 0      | 0   |
| 25    | Telangana         | 0      | 0   | 0      | 0   |
| 26    | Tripura           | 2      | 2   | 0      | 0   |
| 27    | Uttar Pradesh     | 63     | 4   | 1      | 0   |
| 28    | Uttarakhand       | 1      | 0   | 0      | 0   |
| 29    | West Bengal       | NR     | NR  | NR     | NR  |
|       | Total (State)     | 114    | 32  | 28     | 41  |
| 30    | A &NIslands       | 0      | 0   | 0      | 0   |
| 31    | Chandigarh        | 0      | 0   | 0      | 0   |
| 32    | D &NHaveli        | 0      | 0   | 0      | 0   |
| 33    | Daman &Diu        | 0      | 0   | 0      | 0   |
| 34    | Delhi             | 0      | 0   | 0      | 0   |
| 35    | Lakshadweep       | 0      | 0   | 0      | 0   |
| 36    | Puducherry        | 0      | 0   | 0      | 0   |
|       | Total (UTs)       | 0      | 0   | 0      | 0   |
|       | Total (All India) | 114    | 32  | 28     | 41  |

Source : Monthly Crime Statistics

NR : Implies not received

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