Guwahati, Nov 25: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Tuesday announced an ex-gratia grant of Rs three lakh for the family of Jagajit Saikia, a journalist with a local daily who was killed on Saturday.

Gogoi said Saikia's wife would be given a government job.

Asserting his government was concerned about the lives of both journalists and citizens, Gogoi assured that the culprits would be nabbed soon.

Saikia was the Kokrajhar correspondent of Assamese daily Aamar Asom.

Meanwhile, journalists here demanded a CBI inquiry into Saikia's killing, besides insurance and a special law for their protection in the state, where 20 scribes have been killed in the past 17 years.

The journalists held a meeting at the Guwahati Press Club and took out a procession to the Deputy Commissioner's office to submit a memorandum to President Pratibha Patil.

Similar protests were also held in Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Jorhat, Sonitpur, Sibsagar, Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Kamrup (rural) and other districts.

In Kokrajhar, the 'shradha' of Saikia was held where former chief minister and AGP leader Prafulla Kumar Mahanta and his wife Jayashree, were present.

The Assam Press Correspondents Union there sent a memorandum to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Gogoi demanding Rs 10 lakh as ex-gratia for Saikia's family, a government job to a member of his family and security for journalists.

In a message to the Guwahati Press Club, Editors Guild president Rajdeep Sardesai said "The Editors Guild has noted with increasing dismay the spate of violent incidents involving journalists in the northeast and has brought this to the notice of the Union Home ministry."

Kolkata Press Club Secretary Sudhir Karmakar, Sikkim Press Club Secretary Bhim Rawat, Agartala Press Club Secretary Prana Sarkar, Shillong Press Club President David Laipphnang, All Manipur Working Journalists Union President S Hemant and Reporters Without Borders also condemned the killing.

Sikkim scribes condemn killing in NE

The members of Press Club of Sikkim (PCS) condemned the murder of two journalists in Manipur and Assam by unidentified persons, its Publicity Secretary Homnath Dabari said.

PCS members, at an emegency meeting here, described the murder of the journalists as an attack on the freedom of press. They demanded strong action against the culprits by the governments of Manipur and Assam.

Journalists in Sikkim demanded protection for the mediapersons who have been working in the two states.

They also held a condolence meeting in the state capital here in the memory of Rishikanta and Saika.

Meanwhile, Sikkim and Shillong press clubs also condemned the murder of two journalists in Manipur and Assam by unidentified persons and extended their support to the journalist fraternity.

Calling upon the governments of Assam and Manipur to conduct a thorough probe into the killing of journalists Jagjit Saikia and Konsam Rishikanta, the press fraternity here expressed solidarity with the bereaved families.

Bureau Report