Journalist shot for objecting to molestation bid in Ghaziabad
GHAZIABAD: In a shocking incident, a group of men shot a journalist in the head in front of his two daughters in UP’s Ghaziabad at around 10:30 pm on Monday.
Journalist Vikram Josgi was travelling with his daughters on a motorcycle when the accused attacked him in Vijay Nagar area. The entire incident was captured on CCTV. Later, he was rushed to a hospital where is he is said to be in a critical condition.
CCTV footage of a road in Vijay Nagar area of Ghaziabad, where the attack took place, shows Mr Joshi riding a bike with his two daughters. The bike can be seen swerving suddenly and in no time, a group of men surround the bike and start pulling and hitting the rider. As Mr Joshi lies on the road, the older daughter can be seen rushing towards him and crying, screaming for help.
The terrified daughters sits on the road next to her father, trying to stop vehicles or people passing by. A couple of people can then be seen rushing to the injured man.
CCTV visuals show the accused dragged down Joshi from the motorcycle and then brutally assaulting him. Later, they fled after shooting him in the head. Later, one of them is seen screaming for help as an injured Joshi lies on road. The other daughter can be seen sitting beside him, according to a report.
“Five accused have been arrested in connection with the case in which a journalist was shot at by unknown persons in Vijay Nagar. . All of them were known to Mr Joshi’s family, the police said. Joshi’s brother informed us that he was attacked while returning from his sister’s place yesterday,” a TV Channel reported quoted senior police officer Kalanidhi Naithani as saying.
The police suspect that the attack on Vikram Joshi could have taken place after he recently complained to the police about his niece being harassed by a group of men.
Joshi had filed a police complaint against some men of his locality, alleging that they had molested his niece. Police suspect that this could be the reason behind the attack. While the shooting of the journalist is unclear in the video, the attackers can be seen dragging him towards a car and hitting him before running away from the spot.
Slamming Uttar Pradesh Government for the deteriorating law and order situation in the State, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday specifically mentioned about the incident wherein a journalist in Ghaziabad was shot at for complaining to the police about his niece being harassed.
Taking to Twitter, Priyanka wrote, “Ghaziabad is in NCR. If such is the condition of law and order here, then you can guess the condition of law and order in the entire UP. A journalist was shot because he had complained to the police about his niece being harassed. How will any common man feel safe in this jungle raj?”
According to the police, a total of nine people have been arrested in connection with the case. Efforts to nab another accused is underway. Station in-charge has been suspended and a departmental inquiry has also been initiated after the family of journalist was attacked in Ghaziabad in an alleged inaction by police.Six police teams have been deployed by Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) to probe the incident.
“One of the main accused Ravi said that he was made to attack Vikram Joshi,” said police.
(With Agency Inputs ).
