Manik Saha paid the highest price for his honesty and commitment to the profession. He simply refused to be cowered by the threats that he was receiving regularly before his death. The beleaguered man had sought security from his newspaper and the police administration, but the steps taken to protect him were not adequate as the tragic end of his life amply demonstrated.

His death has once again illustrated how insecure the lives of journalists are in this country. At least 11 of them were killed in the southern region in the last five years. But investigation into those cases is proceeding at a slow pace, giving the killers the impression that they can get away with anything and everything.

But it would be wrong to assume that only the journalists have suffered due to the law enforcers' inability to contain the wave of attacks on them. Truth and justice become the biggest casualty when the press is targeted by the dark forces. Manik Saha and those who were killed in the past were actually opposing the illegal activities of some influential people and trying to bring them to light. Now, society should assess what a debt it owes to the relentless crusaders who have virtually sacrificed their lives -- remember that they could have easily avoided the dangerous path-- for free and fair journalism.

The debt cannot be paid back merely by condoling Manik Saha's death, or condemning the killers. It is time the men at the helm stiffened their resolve to address the issue and made some sincere efforts to blunt the force of the criminality that journalists are exposed to these days. The killers of Manik Saha must not go unpunished, for that will mean a defeat for the well-meaning, and the family of the slain journalist has to be given the help that it needs.