A television journalist was found dead under mysterious circumstances in UP’s Pratapgarh district on Sunday. The deceased, who has been identified as Sulabh Srivastava, had written a letter to ADG Prayagraj two days before he was found dead, alleging that the liquor mafia was unhappy with his news reporting and there was a threat to his life. However, the death of the journalist is being considered an accident by the police.
Sulabh allegedly met with an accident while he was riding his motorcycle after covering news of criminals being nabbed by sleuths of the crime branch. The road where Sulabh was found lying is said to be slippery due to rains, which probably caused his motorcycle to slip, causing head injuries. Sulabh was rushed to a hospital where he was declared brought dead. The incident took place between 10 pm and 11 pm on Sunday.
The additional superintendent of police, East Pratapgarh, said, “The ABP journalist Sulabh Srivastava was coming back to Pratapgarh after covering news. He was injured after falling from his motorcycle near a brick kiln. He was helped by labourers present on the spot and his family members were also informed about the incident. An ambulance was also called on the spot after which he was taken to the district hospital where he was declared brought dead. A police team later visited the accident spot and prima facie, it was found that the bike slipped and collided with a pole and a hand pump. We are investigating the matter.”
The death has led to a political war of words in the state. AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra while attacking the UP government, tweeted, “The liquor mafia is rampant in the state from Aligarh to Pratapgarh but the UP government is silent. Journalists should expose the truth, warn the administration about the danger but 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?”
Samajwadi Party spokesperson and MLC, Sunil Singh Sajan has also slammed the state government over the issue. “In Pratapgarh, even after informing the ADG police in writing, the police are unable to give any protection to the journalist who writes against the liquor mafia. Mahants of BJP government who worship criminals, rapists @myogiadityanath, with which face do you go to other states and speak on lawlessness?” he tweeted.
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