The Indian Women's Press Corps on Saturday condemned the brutal murder of two journalists in Bihar and Jharkhand, terming it a "direct attack on the freedom of the press".
In a statement, the IWPC urged the government to take immediate steps to find the culprits behind the dastardly crimes and bring them to justice.
It said the "deliberate targeting" of the two journalists, Rajdeo Ranjan in Bihar and Akhil Prasad Singh in Jharkhand, "is clearly an attempt to prevent the functioning of a free and independent media in the country".
It also said "the IWPC also views with deep concern the efforts to smear the reputation of media professionals in many parts of the country".
"Like other media organisations, we are worried over the worsening atmosphere for the media to operate independently in recent times. We stand together with the entire media in the opposition to any encroachment on the basic principle of freedom of the press," the statement said.
--IANS
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