Lucknow: May 3, World Press Freedom Day  is a day observed to celebrate the fundamental principles of press freedom and pay tribute to journalists who lost their lives while performing their duty for the sake of nation and to evaluate press freedom around world.

This day is observed as World Press Freedom Day and the global celebration is led by the UNESCO which also organises events in different countries of the world every year.

The events are jointly organised by the Government of Indonesia, UNESCO, and the press Council of Indonesia on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day. The country also celebrates World Press Freedom Prize Ceremony in Jakarta, Indonesia, from 1-4 May each year.

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Since last few years, many journalists were attacked that indicated a severe danger to investigative journalism. It is really sad that the attacks are increasing day by day on them who use to work and unearth the truth for the sake of common people.

Here are few incidents that took place in the last few years:

Rajesh Verma:

•  A journalist of IBN7 was killed on September 7, 2013 when the riots broke out between sections of the Hindu and Muslim communities living in Muzaffarnagar in Western U.P.
• Rajesh Verma was at the site covering the clashes when he was shot dead by unidentified assailants.

Rakesh Sharma:

• A journalist of Aaj news lost his life on August 23, 2013.
• The 50-year-old reporter was shot dead by unidentified attackers on a motorcycle in Bakewar town in Etawah District of U.P.

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Narendra Dabholkar:

•  A reporter of Sadhana channel was killed by two motorcycle-borne gunmen while he was on his regular routine walk.
• As both, a journalist and a social activist and fighting blind faith and superstition in society, he wrote on topics ranging from farmer suicides to the struggle for the cause of Telangana and the Naxalite movement. He founded the Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti which highlighted the need to fight and ban the practice of superstition in India that was often used to exploit gullible people for various purposes.

Jyotirmoy Dey:

•  A famous crime reporter in Mumbai who had also authored two books related to crime and the world of informers was a journalist of MidDay.
• He was shot by the assailants while he was driving his motorcycle.

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