A terrifying trend is emerging across rural India where institutional “middlemen” and touts are physically attacking journalists who file Right to Information (RTI) requests at local administrative offices. As seen in recent central India RTO attacks, these organized syndicates use violence to protect local extortion rackets.

The Bharat Media Association warns that police complicity with these middlemen is eroding democracy. We demand immediate zero-tolerance protocols for any physical violence committed against journalists inside government administrative premises.