Lok Sabha Question No. 1568 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-07-26
Subject: Attack on Journalists
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: SANTOSH KUMAR, CHANDRAKANT RAGHUNATH PATIL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1568

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 26 TH  July, 2016/ SHRAVANA 4, 1938 (SAKA)

ATTACK ON JOURNALISTS

1568.

SHRI SANTOSH KUMAR:

SHRI C.R. PATIL:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) whether it is a fact that there is a rise in the number of attacks on journalists in the country;

- (b) if so, the details thereof and the number  of journalists killed/injured during each of the last three years and and the current year, State-wise including Bihar;
- (c) whether it is also a fact that journalists have become victims of State machinery and face harassment for exposing malpractices or irregularities and if so, the reaction of the Government thereto;

(d) if so, whether the Government proposes to enact a legislation for giving  protection  to  journalists  from  harassment  and  attacks  by unscrupulous elements; and

(e) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(a)  to  (b):  National  Crime  Records  Bureau  (NCRB)  has  started collecting  data  on  attack  on  media  persons  under  grievous hurt

## LS USQ No. 1568 for 26.07.2016

since 2014. Data on attack on journalists is not maintained separately.  As  per  available  data,  a  total  of  114  cases  were registered  and  32  persons  were  arrested  under  attack  on  media persons  (grievous  hurt)  during  2014.  A  State-wise  statement  is enclosed at Annexure.

(c) to (e): 'Police'  and  'Public  Order'  are  State  subjects  under  the seventh  Schedule  to  the  Constitution  of  India  and  therefore,  the State Governments are primarily responsible for prevention, detection, registration and investigation of crime and for prosecuting  the  criminals  through  the  machinery  of  their  law enforcement agencies, as also for protecting the life and property of the citizens.

*******

## Annexure

## LS USQ No. 1568 for 26.07.2016

## State/UT  wise  cases  registered  (CR)  and  persons  arrested  (PAR)    under  attack  on    media persons (grievous hurt) during 2014

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

Source : Monthly Crime Statistics