UP Journalist shot in front of daughters dies

Uttar Pradesh journalist Vikram Joshi, who was shot by unknown persons in Ghaziabad near Delhi on July 20, died at city’s Yashoda hospital on Wednesday morning.

A group of men opened fire at the journalist while he was travelling with his daughters on a motorcycle. Joshi had suffered a bullet injury on his head and was put on ventilator.Nine people have been arrested in connection with the case. Two policemen have been suspended.

In the CCTV footage of the incident, Joshi’s bike can be seen surrounded by a group of men who starts beating him mercilessly. The attackers then dragged Joshi towards a car and the accused started to beat him before they fled the spot. As per the reports, the incident took place days after Joshi filed a complaint regarding harassment of his niece by some men last week.

In reaction to the incident, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tweeted in Hindi that the government promised ‘Ram Raj’ but ‘Gunda Raj’ was delivered instead.

Terming the incident as shocking, senior Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi in his Twitter handle added that there was a lack of fear of law and order.

“Shocking jungle raaj in #Ghaziabad area with journalist #Joshi, already known as complainant in #FIR, being shot on scooter while with his daughters, struggling in coma with bullet in skull! Thank God daughters not hit. Shocking, scary, disgusting lack of fear of law & order! #UP,” Singhvi wrote on Twitter.

While, BSP chief Mayawati, in a tweet in Hindi, said that all the serious crimes taking place in UP is pointing towards one thing the law of Jungle is governing the state. She added that the government should pay attention to this matter.

The journalist’s nephew Kamal-ud-Din in protest against the happenings refused to accept his uncle’s body until justice is delivered.