Date:08/01/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/01/08/stories/2004010802610300.htm

Karnataka - Belgaum

Editor of weekly sees threat to life

BELGAUM JAN. 7. Editors of 10 Kannada weeklies, journalists, and representatives of various organisations in the district have urged the State Government to provide security to Nagaraj C. Ganiger, Editor of Nagaraj Patrike.

In a memorandum submitted to the Deputy Commissioner here on Wednesday, Mr. Nagaraj said he was facing a threat to his life. Naming a Congress legislator from the district, one of his supporters, and a Police Sub-Inspector, he said the three should be held responsible if anything happened to him.

He said the police had "picked him up for questioning, tortured him, and booked false cases following his articles on the police-politician-criminal nexus leading to an alleged custodial death of a illicit liquor manufacturer in Raibag taluk about two months ago." He also demanded that action be initiated against police officials for allegedly booking false cases against the Editors of Shanti Sainik, Diggaja, and Samata Sandesh.

Earlier, a procession was taken out by journalists and members of the Sarvodaya Youth and Students' Association, Gadinadu Kannada Jagruti Vedike, Spandana Janapara Vedike, Dalit Sangarsha Samiti, and the All India Students' Federation.