PILIBHIT (Web Desk) – A journalist in Uttar Pradesh’s Pilibhit district was brutally assaulted and then tied to a motorcycle and dragged for about 100 metres the other day, allegedly for his report on dubious land deals, Indian media reported on Monday.
The journalist, Haider Khan, is in hospital in critical condition.
“Yesterday around 6 pm I received a call that the eye witness in a robbery case has met with an accident and I should come to rescue him. When I reached at the spot some three to four people surrounded me. They started beating me up and hit me with a revolver on my head and dragged me for 100 meters from a car,” the journalist told the police officials in hospital.
A case has been registered against four people and the police have started investigation.
“We have registered a case against four people,” Pilibhit Superintendent of Police JK Shahi told NDTV.
The attack in Pilibhit comes just days after another journalist Jagendra Singh was allegedly set on fire during a police raid at his house in Shahjahanpur District on June 1. His family alleged that the police officials set him on fire. Mr Singh succumbed to the injuries on June 8.
Jagendra Singh had posted reports on Facebook about illegal mining activities and land grabbing against UP minister Ram Murti Verma. The FIR lodged against the minister by Mr Singh’s son alleged that the minister sent the team of policemen to his house who doused the journalist with kerosene oil and set him on fire.
From his death bed, Jagendra Singh had narrated the incident in his dying declaration, which went viral on news channels.
Mr Verma, who has been accused of orchestrating the murder, is reportedly on the run.
