City scribe covering police raid on bar found dead, two others injured

CM assures probe by a senior official and action against culprits

A Mumbai-based journalist was allegedly murdered on Friday after he went to a bar in suburban Mira Road to cover a police raid.

The police had reportedly called the journalist, Raghavendra Dube, to cover another case of a missing journalist. The incident took place barely 12 hours after a woman journalist with a Marathi TV channel was assaulted on Thursday by unidentified persons at Santa Cruz in the western suburbs.

Two other journalists covering the police raid at the  White House orchestra bar in Mira Road (East) — in which 14 bar girls were rescued and a few employees taken into custody around 1 am on Friday — were also assaulted by the bar employees.

After the police left, the two journalists — Santosh Mishra and Shashi Sharma — were chased and brutally beaten up.



A photojournalist who were clicking pictures of the raid managed to escape. Sharma sustained serious injuries and is currently being treated at the Indira Gandhi civic hospital at Mira Road. Mishra has been admitted to the Bhaktivedanta Hospital.

Dube arrived at the spot after the assault on Mishra and Sharma. Thereafter, he went to the Mira Road police station, where a group of bar owners and staffers were present.

The police said Dube left the police station at around 5 am. A few hours later, Dube's body was found  near S K Stone on the Mira-Bhayander road. A preliminary medical examination suggested he was assaulted with iron rods and severe head injuries led to his death.

“We have detained six bar employees in connection with the assault. We are verifying whether Dube’s death is linked with the same incident,” said Rajesh Pradhan, superintendent of police, Thane rural.

Dube’s killing evoked angry reactions from journalists across Maharashtra. Reporters from the Mira-Bhayander region reached the police station and demanded action.

A delegation of journalists met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at the state legislature and registered a strong protest at Dube’s killing as well as the rising incidents of attack on journalists across the state.

They also pressed for a special law to prevent such attacks in future. Fadnavis assured the delegation an inquiry would be conducted into Dube’s death. He added stern action would be taken against those involved in Dube’s killing.

Sanjay Nirupam of the Mumbai Regional Congress Committee condemned Dube’s killing and the rising attacks on journalists. He alleged Fadnavis was unable to exert his authority. He supported journalists’ demand for a law.