UP: Journalist shot dead in broad daylight in Sitapur
Raghavendra Bajpai, journalist and RTI activist, had received threats after he had exposed corruption in Maholi tehsil; protests have broken out over his murder
Journalist and RTI activist Raghavendra Bajpai (36), who worked for a national Hindi daily, was shot dead in Sitapur, Uttar Pradesh on Saturday (March 8) afternoon.
The attack occurred around 3.15 pm near the Maholi overbridge on the Lucknow-Delhi highway. Assailants on a motorcycle intercepted Bajpai and fired multiple shots at him, leaving him critically injured.
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He was transported to a district hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.
Threats
Family members reported that Bajpai, who was working for Dainik Jagran, had received threats over the past ten days, after he had exposed alleged irregularities in paddy procurement and land deals in Maholi tehsil, which lead to the suspension of four officials.
The police have not yet confirmed a specific motive for the murder. No FIR has been filed as yet.
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Following the incident, four police teams have been formed to apprehend the perpetrators.
Protests erupt
The attack has resulted in protests, with hundreds gathering at the post-mortem facility, demanding immediate arrests. Senior police officials, including the Lucknow range inspector general, have visited Sitapur to assess the situation.
A strong police presence has been deployed in Maholi tehsil to maintain law and order.
