Office of Indian newspaper attacked after alleged threat by Assam chief minister

April 15, 2026, New Delhi—Indian authorities in the eastern state of Assam must conduct a swift and transparent investigation into the recent attack on the office of daily newspaper Asomiya Pratidin, and ensure that all journalists in the state can report without fear of retaliation, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday.

Early on April 10, unidentified assailants pelted the Asomiya Pratidin office in North Lakhimpur with stones, shattering windows and damaging the newsroom, according to multiple news reports. No staff members were injured in the incident.

The attack followed comments by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, in which he criticized the publication and allegedly threatened its parent company’s chairperson, Jayanta Baruah, according to a statement released by the parent company, Pratidin Media Network.

“The attack on Asomiya Pratidin’s office is a physical manifestation of the dangerous rhetoric coming from the highest levels of the Assam government,” said CPJ’s Asia-Pacific Program Coordinator Kunal Majumder. “Politicians must be able to withstand critical reporting without resorting to threats that incite violence. We call on the Assam police to identify the perpetrators and ensure the safety of all journalists in the state.”

The vandalism occurred less than 24 hours after the Assam state election ended and roughly 12 hours after Sarma, who is the leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party, allegedly told reporters that media figures like Baruah would be “politically and intellectually destroyed” if his government returned to power, according to multiple news reports.

Pratidin Media Network, which runs Asomiya Pratidin, had in the lead-up to the election reported critically on allegations that the BJP created thousands of fake social media accounts to target critics, tracked deepening internal party rebellions, and covered the chief minister’s increasingly volatile relationship with the media.

North Lakhimpur police have registered a case regarding the vandalism but have not yet made any arrests.

The Office of the Assam Chief Minister and the Superintendent of Police for Lakhimpur District Gunendra Deka did not reply to CPJ’s text messages and emails requesting comment.