The Mini India

K. Yadagiri Rao Bengaluru, Nov. 19: In India, journalists face serious physical, legal, and digital risks, with 2 to 3 reporters killed each year and many more threatened, assaulted, or criminally charged under laws like the UAPA. Local and freelance journalists, especially those in rural or conflict-affected regions such as Bastar or Kashmir are particularly vulnerable, and cases like the 2025 death of reporter Mukesh Chandrakar highlight the dangers. Journalists critical of powerful actors encounter online harassment, mob attacks, raids, and legal intimidation, and are sometimes branded “anti-national.” Impunity remains widespread, with many attacks or murders unresolved, contributing to India’s low 2025 World Press Freedom Index ranking of 151/180. Structural pressures including political influence, legal weaponisation, and concentrated media ownership, further undermine press freedom, leaving protections uneven despite constitutional guarantees. These challenges mirror global t...