This article is more than 6 years old

This article is more than 6 years old

A prominent Indian journalist, Sai Reddy, was beaten and stabbed to death by a gang during his visit to a market near his home in Basaguda village in the central state of Chhattisgarh.

Reddy, 51, a reporter for the Hindi-language newspaper Deshbandhu, died on his way to hospital after the attack on Friday (6 December).

Police are reported to suspect Maoists insurgents, but that is not a certainty. In 2008, reports the Daily Bhaskar, Reddy was arrested because of his alleged links to Maoists.

Subsequently, according to The Times of India's report, Reddy was threatened by Maoists and his house was set on fire, which forced him to flee to a neighbouring state until he issued an apology to the insurgents.

Reddy, who covered issues such as health, education, water supply, food distribution and corruption, often criticised the police and the rebels.

The US-based Committee for the Protection of Journalists (CPJ) has called on the Indian authorities to conduct a swift and efficient investigation into Reddy's murder.

"Journalists in Chhattisgarh have become targets in the conflict between the Indian state and the Maoists for simply reporting the realities on the ground," said CPJ's Asian coordinator Bob Dietz.

Earlier this year, journalist Nemi Chand Jain was killed in Chhattisgarh. Maoists later admitted responsibility and apologised for the murder.

Sources: Daily Bhaskar/Times of India/CPJ