New Delhi: A journalist employed with the paper Dainik Jagran was shot dead in Bihar’s Araria district today, August 18, news agency PTI has reported.PTI has posted on X (formerly Twitter), a video of Araria superintendent of police Ashok Kumar identifying the journalist as Vimal and noting that he was shot dead by four men at around 5.30 am.The incident took place at the Raniganj market area in Araria, according to SP Kumar. However, Jagran has reported that its reporter was killed at his house.Jagran has identified Vimal as its news source in Araria. Four years ago, his brother Kumar Shashibhushan alias Gabbu was also shot dead, the report said. Vimal was the only witness in the case.Police have taken Vimal’s body for post-mortem and are working on the case.He is survived by a 15-year-old son and a 13-year-old daughter.India has slipped to the 161st rank in terms of press freedom out of 180 countries ranked by Reporters Without Borders – 11 ranks worse than 2022, when it stood at 150.It is among 31 countries where RSF believes the situation for journalists is “very serious”.
