Journalists being attacked, murdered in 'BJP-ruled' states: Congress

Rajdeo Ranjan, a journalist with Hindi daily Hindustan was shot dead by criminals near the Siwan railway station in Bihar

Amid the furore over the shocking murder of two scribes in Bihar and Jharkhand within 24 hours, the Congress on Saturday called on the Centre to introspect and look into how journalists are being repeatedly attacked and murdered in Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled states.

"A journalist was killed by unknown assailants in Bihar and simultaneously another journalist Akhilesh Pratap Singh was killed in BJP-ruled Jharkhand. Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar has already swung into action and two people have been detained. We express our condolences to the families of the two journalists and hope that the BJP implies the same principle in BJP ruled Jharkhand and ensure that decisive action is taken against the culprits and murderers," Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said.

He also called on the BJP to introspect and look into how journalists are being repeatedly attacked and murdered in BJP-ruled states.

Talking about instances of scribes being attacked in BJP-ruled states, the Congress leader recalled of how two journalists were murdered in 2013-14 in Chhattisgarh and also of how the state police had illegally detained people on false charges because they were raising their voice against human rights violation.

"In MP our friend and journalist of Aaj Tak Akshay Singh was killed while examining Vyapam scam but no headway has been made. Similarly, Sandeep Kothari was burned alive in Balaghat and his wife and children were similarly killed by mining mafia in Madhya Pradesh. The Prime Minister and the BJP leaders must answer," Surjewala said.

Meanwhile, two people have been detained in connection with the murder of senior journalist Rajdeo Ranjan in Siwan, Bihar.

Siwan Superintendent of Police said that the two are being grilled to procure more details regarding the shocking murder.

Ranjan, a journalist with Hindi daily Hindustan was shot dead by criminals near the Siwan railway station.

Two bullets were fired at the Siwan bureau chief of the daily that hit on his head and neck. He was shifted to a hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead.

According to police, five motorcycle-borne criminals were waiting for Ranjan, who was walking down the road to his home, and shot him twice.

The ruling party JD(U) leader Ajay Alok said that the government would nab the culprits within 48 hours.

"No matter who the criminals are, the government is determined to hunt them down within 48 hours," Alok said.