15 July 2025 | IFJ
Odisha journalist murdered in car attack
Knife attack
Journalist CH Naresh Kumar was hacked to death inside a car by unknown assailants on July 12 in India’s eastern Odisha state. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliates, the Indian Journalists Union (IJU) and the National Union of Journalists India (NUJ-I), strongly condemn his killing and urge the authorities to launch an immediate investigation and ensure the perpetrators are brought swiftly to justice.
Naresh, a journalist for local online news outlet Times Odia, was killed near the village of Murliguda in Odisha’s Malkangiri district around when a group of five unidentified men approached him on two motorcycles. Without warning, the group attacked him with a sword and other sharp weapons inside a car before fleeing immediately.
At the time of the attack, Naresh was in discussion with four others, including two other local journalists. He sustained critical injuries and was rushed to Motu Primary Health Centre. As his health deteriorated due to excessive bleeding, Naresh was transferred to Malkangiri District Headquarters Hospital, where he was declared deceased on arrival.
Earlier that day, two unknown men reportedly visited Naresh’s home and asked him to meet them later under the pretext of urgent work. Local authorities believe this may have been a premeditated attempt to lure him into the fatal attack.
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