The Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) has said its attention has been drawn towards the deletion of news reports from an online news portal by gaining unauthorised access.

In a statement on Saturday, the umbrella organisation of Nepali journalists said that the act of taking down news reports through misuse of technology despite options to refute, lodge a complaint at the press council and take a legal remedy is a serious breach of press freedom and a severe violation of cyber laws.

Ukeera.com, a news portal published by Pathseed Nepal, had carried out news regarding the citizenship dispute of Rastriya Swatantra Party Chair Rabi Lamichhane, a cooperative run by Deepesh Pun, son of vice-president Nanda Bahadur Pun, and a news report related to Kathmandu Mayor Balendra Shah. The news reports were taken down and replaced with irrelevant news and photos through the attack.

Ram Kumar Shahi, general secretary o the FNJ's corporate provincial committe, said the organisation requests the concerned bodies to investigate, take action against those involved in the attack and prevent such incidents in the future.

Meanwhile, the news portal’s Editor-in-Chief KP Dhungana said that it is objectionable to take down news through unauthorised access, adding that they will seek a legal remedy.