Killed in 2006 in India

Prahlad Goala, Asomiya Khabar, January 6, 2006, Golaghat

Goala was murdered near his home in Golaghat district in India's northeastern state of Assam after writing a series of articles on corruption in the Assamese-language daily Asomiya Khabar that linked local forestry service officials to timber smuggling.

Local journalists told CPJ that police arrested forest warden Zamman Jinnah in connection with the death. He was released on bail. Two other suspects, who were not forestry service employees, were also taken into custody, the journalists said.

Jinnah had made death threats against Goala soon after his articles on corruption in the forestry service appeared, The Assam Tribune reported.

Goala, 32, was riding a motorcycle near his home some 160 miles (260 kilometers) east of the state capital, Guwahati, when he was apparently rammed by a truck. When police arrived at the scene, they found that Goala had been stabbed several times.

Local journalist organizations and civic groups staged a protest in Golaghat on January 10 and called for a full investigation into the slaying.

Arun Narayan Dekate, Tarun Bharat, June 10, 2006, Nagpur (motive unconfirmed)

Up to four unidentified men attacked Dekate on June 8 as he was riding with a friend on a motorcycle, according to The Hindu newspaper. He was pounded with rocks and died from his injuries in a hospital in Nagpur on June 10. Dekate was a reporter with the Marathi-language daily Tarun Bharat in Nagpur, central India.

Police did not cite a motive for the attack. Indian media reports said Dekate had recently written articles about illegal gambling in Takalghat village, about 19 miles (30 kilometers) from Nagpur. Takalghat has about 2,500 inhabitants. Dekate also cooperated with police from the nearest town, Bori, in their investigations, which had apparently resulted in several arrests.

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