Journalist investigating sand mafia-police nexus mowed down in MP, CM assures ‘strict action’

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday assured that strict action will be taken against the culprits involved in the killing of a journalist.

“Security of journalists is our priority and strict action will be taken against the culprit,” Chouhan was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia also condemned the incident and demanded a CBI inquiry into the matter.

“He was killed in broad daylight. Nothing less than a CBI inquiry should be done. Media is the 4th pillar of democracy & that is being crushed under BJP’s rule,” Scindia told ANI.

Earlier on Monday morning, an investigative journalist was run over by a dumper in Madhya Pradesh’s Bhind. Sandeep Sharma, a journalist with a national news channel, was probing a possible nexus between the police and the sand mafia.

In a chilling CCTV footage, Sharma can be seen riding a motorcycle with a dumpster behind him veering to crush him.

The journalist had earlier filed a police complaint about threat to his life.

Police are investigating the matter and a SIT team has already been formed to solve the murder case.

On Monday, in a separate incident, two journalists were killed in Bihar’s Bhojpur district. The incident took place when two car-borne assailants ran their vehicle over the two. His family alleged that that it was a case of murder and a former village head was behind it.

Agitating people set the car on fire and protested with the bodies on the road, thereby blocking Arrah-Sasaram state highway.

The protesters alleged that the two people were killed by the husband of a former Garhani village head due to a feud.

The deceased have been identified as Naveen and Vijay Singh. Naveen used to work for Dainik Bhaskar, a Hindi newspaper while Vijay Singh used to work for a magazine.

Rajesh, brother of Nishchal, had alleged in the FIR that it was a case of murder and a former Panchayat Mukhiya Ahmed Ali alias Harsu and his son Dabloo were behind it, the SP said.The SUV belongs to Harsu. It was alleged in the FIR that Harsu had been nursing a grouse against the reporter, the SP said.