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Pratapgarh scribe’s death: Priyanka writes to Yogi, demands CBI probe
The Congress leader said apprehensions about threat to life by a journalist for reporting on illicit liquor spoke volumes about the deteriorating law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has demanded a CBI probe into the mysterious death of a television journalist Sulabh Srivastava in Pratapgarh on June 13 night. She has also demanded financial assistance to family of the deceased and action against the liquor mafia which, she said, has gained ‘deep roots’ and formed a nexus with the administration in Uttar Pradesh.
Priyanka made these demands in a letter sent to chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday (June 15). In her letter, she said Sulabh Srivastava had died under mysterious circumstances on way back home after covering a news assignment in Pratapgarh. She said there were deep head wounds on the journalist’s body found near a brick kiln.
She said Sulabh Srivastava had written to ADG, Prayagraj zone, alleging that illicit liquor mafia was upset with him for his recent reportage of illicit liquor trade. Priyanka said family of the journalist and his journalist friends had also demanded a CBI probe to bring out the truth.
Priyanka said there had been reports of deaths due to consumption of spurious liquor from a number of places in the state. She said hundreds of people had died after consuming spurious liquor in Aligarh and Pratapgarh etc.
The Congress leader said apprehensions about threat to life by a journalist for reporting on illicit liquor spoke volumes about the deteriorating law and order situation in the state. She said there had been instances of attacks on journalists in Ballia, Unnao and other places too.
Maya for impartial probe
In a tweet in Hindi, Mayawati said, the terror of the liquor mafia is known to all. The gruesome murder of a TV news channel reporter for exposing their black deeds is extremely saddening. “The government must ensure stringent punishment to the guilty by carrying out a swift, impartial and credible probe,” the former UP chief minister demanded. PTI
PCI seeks report from state govt
“Taking serious note of the death of journalist Sulabh Srivastava in Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Press Council of India chairman Justice Chandramouli Kumar Prasad has taken suo motu cognisance in the matter,” the Council said in a statement in Hindi on Tuesday.
The UP government, the state director general of police and the superintendent of police, Pratapgarh have been asked to send a report “based on the facts in the matter,” the council said.
The opposition parties and the Editors Guild of India (EGI) have questioned the claim of the state police that Sulabh Srivastava died in a road accident after his bike rammed into a pole on Sunday night. (PTI)
