A group of human rights activists have urged the Chief District Officer (CDO) of Kailali Kailash Kumar Bajimaya to ensure safety of journalist Hemanta Paudel.

The group led by INSEC regional coordinator Khadak Raj Joshi met with CDO Bajimaya on August 16 and asked him to find the truth about the incident.

According to editor of Sudoor Sandesh Hemanta Paudel, ASI Jaya Bahadur Singh of the District Police Office (DPO) had threatened reporter of the same daily Kailash Kumar Joshi that Paudel would not live for more days.

Paudel said that ASI Singh had threatened him of life on the directon of SP Ghanashyam Aryal after he published news on the involvement of police in smuggling on the August 12 edition of the daily.

CDO Bajimaya expressed commitment to take legal action against anyone involvement in threatening journalists.

Meanwhile, SP Aryal said that news of Paudel being threatened by police was baseless.

Federation of Nepali Journalists has condemned the incident stating that murder plot of its Kailali chapter member Paudel was being hatched.