Assam: 17 days on, journalist Naresh Mitra succumbs to injuries

Guwahati: After a 17-day-long battle with destiny, senior journalist and a leading environment enthusiast Naresh Mitra (42) succumbed to his head injuries in a private nursing home in Guwahati at 5.45 am on Monday.

Mitra, who worked as a senior journalist at The Times of India’s Guwahati bureau, faced a mysterious accident in the city on November 22 night as he was returning home on his modified bicycle around 10.30 pm. He was recovered in an unconscious state at Rupnagar locality of the city. He sustained major injuries to his left side of the head. He was in the ICU for all these days.

The journalist leaves behind his parents, wife and a minor daughter.

As per reports, some unidentified miscreants attacked Mishra from behind on November 22 night while he was returning home on his bicycle after completing his work at The Times of India bureau in ABC locality of the city.

Locals, who spotted Mitra, immediately shifted him to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) for emergency aid where he was slightly able to speak but gradually lost his sense.

However, later upon being informed, Mitra’s family members admitted him to the ICU of Nemcare Hospital the same night and since then he was under critical care.

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Although, initially, it was thought to be a case of hit and run, doctors who conducted head surgery of Mitra revealed that the injuries in his skull were similar to that of an assault, hence raising suspicion to the whole incident.

Meanwhile, various organisations and leading citizens from different sections of society have offered their condolences.

Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal and his media adviser Hrishikesh Goswami have also condoled the untimely demise of the senior journalist.

The Journalist Federation of Assam (JFA) has already demanded the state government to book the culprits involved in the incident as soon as possible. In a statement issued by its president, the association has condemned the attack on Mitra and has demanded for a high-level inquiry into the shocking incident.