Kumar had gone to cover the road blockade near market by anrgy residents who were agitated over kidnapping of a youth of village Phulare. Locals had caught one Ramekbal Rai and tied him to tree suspecting him to be involved in kidnapping on Thursday last week.
As the youth could not be found even after a week, the locals organised a protest at Mahua market and created a road blockade. Navnit was assaulted by some musclemen when he was covering the incident.He received head injuries and was rushed to a private clinic. Mahua sub-divisional police officer rushed to the spot and rescued Navnit. Vaishali SP Ramesk Kumar said an FIR has been lodged and guilty would be arrested.
The issue of brutal assault on Navnit was raised by senior BJP leader Nand Kishore Yadav in Bihar assembly who alleged the attack on journalist was preplanned.
On May 13, 2016, Rajdev Ranjan, a senior journalist with Dainik Hindustan, was shot dead at Siwan by three shooters allegedly on instructions of a jailed leader of RJD.