Dip Saikia shooting: Hornbill TV journalist stable, assailant in police custody

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaSeptember 1, 2025

Hornbill TV journalist Dip Saikia, who sustained gunshot injuries while covering a community festival in Manipur’s Senapati district, has been shifted to a private hospital in Guwahati and is reported to be in stable condition. A pellet lodged in his body is yet to be removed, confirmed Hornbill TV Editor Dzuthono Mekro on Monday.

Saikia was shot on August 30 at Laii village while reporting on the Zinnia Flower Festival. He suffered wounds to his armpit and legs. Initially treated at the Senapati District Hospital, he was later moved to Dimapur and subsequently to Guwahati for advanced care.

Local villagers apprehended the assailant immediately after the attack. The Village Council of Laii identified him as Raiveinii Ramai, a resident of Phuba Khuman in Senapati district. Ramai, of mixed tribal lineage, was handed over to the police and has been remanded to seven days’ custody at Senapati police station. Early reports suggest the weapon used may have been a pressurised air rifle capable of causing fatal injuries.

The attack has drawn strong condemnation from media bodies. Hornbill TV denounced the “blatant use of violence” against its reporter, pledging full cooperation with investigating agencies. “We extend our deepest sympathies to the family and loved ones of Dip Saikia and wish him a full recovery and health,” the channel said in a statement.

The North East Media Forum (NEMF), New Delhi, also condemned the incident, linking it to recent political intimidation. On August 23, Nagaland Deputy Chief Minister Yanthungo Patton publicly rebuked Saikia at an official function in Wokha district and ordered him not to sit in front of him. “Barely a week later, while covering the Zinnia Festival, Saikia was shot by an assailant wielding a pressurised air rifle,” the forum noted, demanding a prompt, transparent, and impartial probe by authorities in both Nagaland and Manipur.

Saikia’s cameraman, Anguvi, said the assailant initially identified himself as a member of the Lotha community, then later as Poumai, before his actual identity was clarified. The motive behind the attack remains unclear.

As investigations continue, the incident has sparked wider concern over the safety of journalists in the Northeast and the urgent need for accountability in cases of political intimidation and violence against the press.