NHRC issued notice to Uttar Pradesh government over murder of journalist
New Delhi:
The National Human Rights Commission on Friday issued a notice to the government of Uttar Pradesh and the chief of state police regarding the murder of a journalist in the Unnao district last week his alleged coverage of the sand mafia, said a senior official.
Reportedly, journalist Shubham Tripathy worked for the Hindi daily Kampu Mail, he said.
The human rights panel, in a statement, then observed that “in a system of democratic government, the media are considered to be their fourth pillar, which cannot be the victim of the cruelty of anti-social elements”.
NHRC ignored media report of murder of sand mafia journalist, sent notice to Uttar Pradesh chief secretary and chief police officer for detailed report , said the manager.
Shubham Tripathy reported on the illegal extraction of sand in the district. According to reports, his opponents also filed a complaint against him with the district magistrate, the NHRC said in the statement.
“The state government has also been tasked with obtaining an impartial investigation into the matter by an independent agency, preferably the state’s CB CID, and ensuring the safety of the family of the victim and witnesses in this case, “said the report.
Details of the appeal and other forensic evidence gathered during the investigation should be kept as the Board may call them during the examination of the case. The response is expected within four weeks, the statement said.
In the statement, the Commission observed that the report mentioned that in many cases the media were “targeted by anti-social elements” and in most cases “no action was taken against the culprits by the police authorities “.
“It is the duty of the state to provide adequate security and protection to mediators who, in the public interest, continue to take great risks in highlighting the illegal activities that prevail in society. The death of Shubham Tripathy in this case is a matter of concern to the Commission and also an issue involving a violation of human rights, “he said.
Earlier on Friday, the Press Council of India (PCI) condemned the murder of the journalist and requested a report on the matter from the government of Uttar Pradesh.
Shubham Tripathy was shot dead in Unnao on his way home with his friend on a motorcycle on June 19, said police superintendent Rohan P Kanay. He was rushed to the hospital where he died.
