GUWAHATI: Police on Thursday released the sketch of a person who they believed had shot dead the executive editor of an Assamese daily here.
An unidentified assailant had gunned down Anil Mazumdar, executive editor of ‘Aaji’, in front of his residence here on Tuesday night.
Police said the sketch was prepared based on descriptions provided by the driver of the victim. It is believed that the assailant will be aged around 35 years and five feet and three inches tall. “It is certain that the killer was a sharpshooter,” said SSP Pradip Saloi.
“Information given by anyone leading to the arrest of the killer will be rewarded,” he added.
ASP Debojit Deuri said police were looking into various angles. “We couldn’t yet ascertain the motive behind the killing. Once it is done, we won’t take time to arrest the murderer,” he added.
The killing of Mazumdar is being attributed to his nexus with insurgent outfit United Liberation Front of Assam, Business Rivalry, publication of a series of reports on the incestuous relationship between an IPS officer and the then CMD of a local television channel.
Meanwhile, protests over the killing continued with two journalists’ unions serving separate deadlines on the Government demanding the arrest of the assailant.
The Working Journalists’ Association of Assam and the Journalists’ Federation of Assam (JFA) have served seven days and two days deadline respectively.
The JFA on Thursday held a protest demonstration and warned that it would be compelled to intensify its agitation if the killer was not arrested within 48 hours.
Elsewhere in Tezpur, working journalists took out a protest march and condemned the killing of Mazumdar.
Journalists in other parts of the state also held demonstrations and wore black badges to condemn the killing.
Lower Assam town of Nalbari observed a 12-hour bandh on Thursday in protest against the killing.