The family members of Jogendra Singh, were staging a protest in Shahjahenpur demanding action against the accused, but the local police is yet to make any move to initiate proceedings against the state minister for Backward Class, Ram Murti Singh Verma, or any other accused involved in alleged killing of the scribe.
IG (law and order), A Satish Ganesh, while talking to the media persons here on Monday evening said that the probe is still on. He said that the investigating officer as well as the local circle officer in Shahjahenpur, were in lucknow to appear in the High Court in connecting with the Public Interest litigation, filed in the said matter. However, he said that the hearing could not take place on Monday and it will be now taken on Tuesday. About the growing attack on scribes in the state, Ganesh said that director general of police, AK Jain, had already issued a circular directing to facilitate all necessary security to the journalists who faces threat from any corner.
In Shahjahenpur, while the wife and children of the Jogendra Singh, were on dharna demanding action against the accused and compensation for themselves, the father of the victim threatened for self-immolation if the minister was not sacked and arrested in the matter. Meanwhile in Pilibhit, another journalist was allegedly attacked by a group of people with four persons having been booked over the incident. According to Pilibhit SP, JK Shahi, the journalist, Haider, has complained that he was attacked on Sunday by one Anand and his associates. Haider, a journalist in the electronic media, has claimed that he was attacked as he had reported stories which had not gone down well with the accused. He said he had received a call asking him to come to an appointed spot in order to obtain information on a story but, when he got there, was attacked by the accused.
“On Sunday, I got a call regarding a robbery case. But when I reached the spot, Anand and some 3-4 others surrounded me and started beating me up. They hit me with the butt of a revolver and also dragged me for 100m by a car,” alleged Haider, who claimed he was left unconscious in the attack which took place in the Puranpur area. He said a passerby later came to his aid and reached him to Paharpur police station. The SP said that the journalist has been sent for a medical examination and, “as per the medical report, if there are any more sections of IPC applicable in this case, those will be added and prompt action will be taken to bring the accused to justice”.