UP scribe murder: Police officer suspended, 6 held

◗ UP GOVERNMENT’S attitude towards the “security and freedom of journalists” is condemnable, says Priyanka Gandhi

Lucknow/ Ballia, Aug. 25: A police officer was suspended while six people arrested in connection with the murder of a journalist in Uttar Pradesh’s Ballia.

Ratan Singh (45), who worked with a Hindi news channel, was shot dead on Monday night in the Phephana police station area of the district.

The incident has drawn flak from the opposition, which has alleged “poor” law and order and accused the state government of failing to curb crime.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced an ex gratia of `10 lakh to the family of the deceased and offered condolences.

An official spokesperson in Lucknow said the chief minister has directed officials to ensure strict action against the accused. Ballia Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Sanjay Yadav said on the complaint of the journalist’s father, six people— Sushil Singh, Dinesh Singh, Arvind Singh, Suneel Singh, Vir Bahadur Singh and Vinay Singh—have been arrested. He said the complaint was lodged against 10 people. The Phephana police station in-charge, Shashi Mauli Pandey, has been suspended and efforts are on to nab the remaining accused, the ASP said.

The ASP said the journalist’s father, Vinod Singh, alleged that Sonu Singh of their village had called his son to his house around 8 pm where the accused were waiting with lathis and a revolver and they killed him.

Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar had stated on

Monday night that Ratan Singh had a property dispute with his neighbour and after a fight between the two, he was shot dead.

Accused Dinesh Singh is the parcener (pattidar) of Ratan Singh. An old enmity and a property dispute with the neighbour led to the journalist’s murder, a senior police official said.

He said Ratan Singh’s killing had nothing to do with his being a journalist. “Action under the National Security Act and the Gangster Act will also be ensured against the accused,” he said.

Local journalists in Ballia have demanded an ex gratia of `1 crore and a government job for the wife of the deceased.

Reacting to the incident, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said in a tweet that the UP government’s attitude towards the “security and freedom of journalists” is condemnable.