Retired IAS officer Hitesh Dev Sarma has crossed all lines of decency by threatening the life of NKTV PLUS journalist Rana Deka and worse, vowing harm to Deka’s innocent 8-year-old son. This ugly episode comes from a simple act of journalism: exposing Sarma’s own son for brutally attacking grieving fans of the late Assamese icon Zubeen Garg. But instead of facing facts, Sarma chose terror, turning a father’s grief into a weapon of intimidation.
The chilling threats came on November 20 around 1 PM, when Sarma dialed Deka directly. In an exclusive conversation with Northeast Scoop, Deka said the full horror: Sarma didn’t just warn him to back off; he promised death, accidents and violence against a child. “He threatened my life and said my 8-year-old son would be in danger,” Deka said.
This nightmare traces back to the case Zubeen Garg’s death. Four accused in the case were brought to Nikasi Jail in Baksa district, drawing crowds of heartbroken fans demanding justice. Amid the chaos, NKTV journalists, including Deka, captured undeniable footage: Sarma’s son, Gitartha Dev Sarma swinging a lathi baton like a thug, mercilessly charging at Zubeen Garg’s supporters. The video went live, clear as day, no tricks, no edits. It showed Gitartha beating down people already crushed by loss. 
But truth is no match for a powerful man’s ego. Sarma called Deka, screaming that the video was “morphed”. When words failed, threats took over. An audio recording obtained by Northeast Scoop lays it all bare, a gut-wrenching tape of Sarma’s venomous voice spilling out like poison.
Listen close, and you’ll hear the retired officer’s cold calculation: “You are doing bad things… and if major injury happens to you, who will you complain to? This is not done.” He uses words like “accidents”: “I am warning you… you are in danger. You correct yourself because my son will be transferred because of you.” Sarma demands an apology video within four hours, or else. “You have done false reporting… I will put your Editor-in-Chief Manoj Goswami in jail for three years.”
This isn’t a warning; it’s a blueprint for bullying. A man who once swore to serve the public now stalks a journalist for daring to report the truth. Zubeen Garg’s fans were protesting peacefully, mourning a hero stolen too soon. Gitartha Dev Sarma turned that grief into a battlefield with his baton. And now, his father, armed with the ghosts of his IAS badge wants blood for the spotlight.
What kind of “retired officer” hides behind death threats to a child’s life? Sarma’s rage isn’t about justice; it’s about protecting a family legacy of unchecked power. Deka’s crime? Shining light on brutality that shames us all. In Mushalpur, that lathi swing wasn’t just an attack on fans; it was an assault on every voice crying for accountability in Zubeen Garg’s tragic case.
Journalists like Rana Deka aren’t enemies; they’re the thin line between chaos and clarity. Sarma’s call to silence him isn’t just personal, it’s an attack on press freedom, on the right to question the powerful. If a retired IAS officer can threaten a reporter’s family over one video, what stops him from worse?
Authorities must act now. File charges for criminal intimidation. Protect Deka and his son. And haul Gitartha Dev Sarma before the law for his baton rampage. Zubeen Garg deserved better than fans beaten in his name. Assam’s journalists deserve better than cowering from a bully in a suit.
Hitesh Dev Sarma, your warnings fell on deaf ears. The tape doesn’t lie. The video doesn’t morph. And the people? We’re watching. Apologize? No.. it’s time you faced the music.
