A journalist shot dead in Uttar Pradesh’s Sitapur, with police attributing the incident to a land dispute. However, the victim’s family claims the murder was linked to his reports on procurement irregularities and stamp duty evasion. Six suspects have been detained for questioning. Authorities are investigating both angles to determine the motive.
A 35-year-old journalist, Raghvendra Bajpai, shot dead by unidentified assailants on motorcycles near Maholi town in Uttar Pradesh’s Sitapur district on Saturday, according to police reports.
Bajpai, a correspondent for the Hindi daily Dainik Jagran, was found with four bullet wounds. An FIR has been filed against unknown individuals on murder charges, with police suggesting that a land dispute may be the motive. As of now, no arrests have been made, although six individuals have been detained for questioning.
Following a postmortem on Sunday, Bajpai’s body was returned to his family, who initially refused to conduct funeral rites until his killers were apprehended and a job was provided to a family member. The district administration and police managed to convince them to proceed with the funeral, assuring that their demands would be forwarded to the state government. The cremation took place by the evening.
Bajpai’s family believes his murder may be linked to his reporting on irregularities in paddy procurement and stamp duty evasion in land deals.
However, police noted that neither Bajpai nor his family had reported any threats. Initial investigations indicate that the murder could relate to a land dispute, as Bajpai had raised concerns about improper formalities in a local land purchase.
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A police official stated,
“There could be some other motive as well. Therefore, we are gathering information about those he was in contact with lately.”
According to police, the suspects likely intercepted Bajpai’s vehicle from behind before opening fire, continuing to shoot even after he fell. They received information around 3 PM on Saturday about a body on the Imaliya-Sultanpur highway, where Bajpai’s motorcycle was also found. He was taken to a hospital, but doctors declared him dead upon arrival.
Prashant Kumar, Inspector General of Police for the Lucknow range, stated that authorities are exploring all possible angles in the investigation and are recording statements to establish the exact motive behind Raghvendra Bajpai’s murder.
Police have gathered CCTV footage from the vicinity of the crime scene and are examining Bajpai’s call records. His cell phone has been sent for forensic analysis, with the report pending.
Bajpai, who had been a journalist for nearly ten years, is survived by his wife and two young children. His family noted that his elder brother passed away in a road accident approximately 15 years ago. They have also requested compensation.
On Sunday, Ajay Rai, the state Congress president, visited Bajpai’s family, urging the immediate arrest of those responsible for the murder. Rai demanded a compensation of Rs.1 crore for the family and a government job for Bajpai’s wife.
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He emphasized the family’s claim that Bajpai was killed for exposing corruption in paddy procurement, stating,
“The brave journalist exposed corruption, hence he was murdered.”
He warned that if the perpetrators are not apprehended within two days, Congress will protest statewide, asserting,
“Law and order has completely collapsed under the BJP government. The Congress stands with the victim’s family.”
Shashank Trivedi, the BJP MLA from Maholi, also expressed his support for the family, assuring them of full backing from Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.