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UP journalist dies in ‘accident’ days after alleging threat to life
Prayagraj zone additional director general of police, Prem Prakash, said it appeared that Srivastava lost control of his motorbike as the road was slippery, and suffered severe head injuries after hitting an electricity pole.
A television journalist died in Pratapgarh district of Uttar Pradesh, ostensibly in a road accident, a day after he said his life was under threat for reporting on the “liquor mafia” in the state. The family of the journalist has filed a complaint alleging that he was murdered, and the incident has sparked a political controversy with opposition leaders demanding a probe.
The journalist, Sulabh Srivastava, who was in his forties, was found seriously injured on Katra road under the Kotwali police station limits on Sunday night, police said. Srivastava, who worked with ABP News, was rushed to a hospital in the district where he was declared brought dead, they added.
Prayagraj zone additional director general of police, Prem Prakash, said it appeared that Srivastava lost control of his motorbike as the road was slippery, and suffered severe head injuries after hitting an electricity pole.
Prakash confirmed that on Saturday he received Srivastava’s letter alleging a threat to himself and his family, and seeking protection. But he rejected claims that the journalist was assaulted. “Sulabh was alive after suffering injuries and spoke to his colleagues. He could have informed them had he been assaulted by someone,” the ADG said.
In his letter to the ADG, Srivastava alleged that the liquor mafia was angry with him for his coverage of the illicit liquor trade in the district, and wanted to harm him and his family. He urged the official to initiate a probe into the matter, and sought protection.
“ For the past two days I have observed that some persons are following me. Me and my family are living in fear of the liquor mafia who may harm us. Please get the issue investigated and ensure our security,” Srivastava said in his letter to the ADG. HT has seen a copy of the letter.
“The incident is being probed from all possible angles,” ADG Prakash said, adding that the report of the post mortem examination was awaited to ascertain the exact cause of death.
But Srivastava’s wife, Renuka Srivastava, alleged that he was murdered. A first information report (FIR) has been filed under sections 302 (murder) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against unidentified persons at the Pratapgarh Kotwali police station based on her complaint.
Several Opposition leaders on Monday sought a probe into the journalist’s death.
In a tweet, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav wanted to know why Srivastava was not provided security when he’d asked for it. “The mysterious death of a TV reporter in an alleged accident is extremely sad. The BJP government, in this case, should constitute a high-level probe, and tell the family members and the public why, despite the apprehension of murder by the liquor mafia expressed by the reporter, he was not provided security,” he said.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state, accusing it of nurturing “Jungle Raj”. “Liquor mafia from Aligarh to Pratapgarh: Dance of death in the entire state. UP government silent. Journalists should expose the truth, warn the administration about the danger. The government is asleep. Does the UP government, which nurtures Jungle Raj, have any answer to the tears of the family members of journalist Sulabh Srivastava?” she said in a tweet in Hindi.
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee tweeted, “Sad to see that despite “democracy & freedom” being a part of our ethos, we are unable to save lives of those who are working tirelessly towards unfolding the truth.”
In a letter to chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday, Pratapgarh MP Sangam Lal Gupta of the BJP sought financial assistance to the family of the journalist and a government job for his wife. He, too, demanded a thorough probe into the incident.
But Gupta termed the allegations of the opposition leaders as “baseless”. “State government is taking strict action against liquor mafia and all other criminal elements in the state.”
(with agency inputs)
