Journalist shot dead in UP, Akhilesh orders probe

A journalist was shot dead in broad daylight by motorcycle-borne assailants on Saturday in Sultanpur district of Uttar Pradesh, prompting Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav to order an enquiry.

Tarun Mishra, the bureau chief of a newspaper in Ambedkar Nagar, was driving to Sultanpur with his maternal uncle when two people on a motorcycle opened fire at his car.

The incident took place around noon at Inayatpur in Sultanpur district, 135 km from here.

Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has announced compensation of Rs.10 lakh to the family of the deceased journalist and directed Director General of Police (DGP) Jawed Ahmad to solve the case at the earliest and arrest the culprits.

A special team has since been constituted to probe the matter, an official said. It would be supervised by the district magistrate of Sultanpur, he said.

There has been a spate of attacks on journalists in the state over the past one year.

The state government had responded to the situation by directing all district police chiefs and district magistrates to take special care and by launching a 24x7 helpline telephone service.