Journalists, their mouths covered with black bands, carried placards demanding that the state government to expedite the search operation to locate journalist Chayan Sarkar, missing since Sunday night. Media persons from Alipurduar were joined by those from Coochbehar, Siliguri, Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri and Uttar Denajpur in the rally. Family members of the young journalist blocked the arterial road in Alipurduar area demanding that he be traced immediately.
Chayan’s colleagues have confirmed that he had left for Shamuktala on his bike. They even confirmed that he was returning to Alipurduar, as per the conversation he had with one of his colleagues. However, locals found Chayan’s bike abandoned at Salsalabari. His mobile was out of reach and could not be traced since Sunday night. The police have retrieved the bike and Chayan’s purse found nearby. They were on a lookout for the missing journalist till Monday evening.
The reporter of a Bengali daily was missing from his home in Alipurduar district after eight persons, earlier named by him in an FIR for issuing threats for writing a story on college admission bribery, had been arrested. A top police officer on Monday said a manhunt had been launched to trace Chayan Sarkar.
Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri Press Club members alleged that Sarkar was kidnapped by a group involved in an admission racket in a college in Alipurduar district and that he earned their wrath after filing an investigative report in the largely circulated daily in north Bengal which "exposed" how huge cash was being demanded from the candidates and guardians for admissions.
As he had lodged an FIR after publication of the news on July 28 about getting life threats and named eight persons, all the accused were on Sunday arrested from Alipurduar, the officer said. (HS and PTI)
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