Senior journalist and press freedom campaigner Panna Lal Gupta has passed away at the age 92. He died at the Teaching Hospital Nepalgunj in course of treatment.

Ailing for a year now, he was taken to hospital after he vomited Wednesday evening. His son and former mayor Bijaya Kumar Gupta informed about his father’s death in course of treatment.

The Gupta senior has made his own identity in the journalism sector in Nepalgunj. He remained in journalism for long as the editor of ‘Kiran’ vernacular weekly.

Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) had a decade back conferred the title ‘Senani’, meaning press freedom fighter in recognition of his contribution to the journalism sector and freedom of press.

FNJ Banke district president Thakur Singh Tharu described the passing of pioneer journalist and press freedom fighter Gupta has caused irreparable loss to the journalism sector in Banke district.

His last rites would be performed at Chidaniya Ghat on the bank of the local Rapti river tomorrow, according to the Gupta family.