Ghaziabad: Journalist Vikram Joshi, who was shot at by armed assailants near his residence in Vijay Nagar, Ghaziabad on June 20, passed away on Wednesday.
Assailants opened fire
The scribe was attacked when he was returning from his sister’s house along with his two daughters on a motorbike on Monday night. He had suffered a bullet injury on his head after assailants opened fire at him near his residence.
The doctor of a private hospital monitoring Joshi said that the veins in the journalists’ head had got badly damaged due to the bullet injury.
The attack is believed to be the fallout of a complaint that Joshi had lodged at the Vijay Nagar police station on July 16. He had complained that some people were harassing his niece.
CCTV footage
In the CCTV footage, the bike can be seen being intercepted by a group of men who surrounded the bike, and started pulling and hitting the rider.
The two daughters of Vikram Joshi could be seen running away the moment the bike falls.
Nine people have been arrested in connection with the shooting incident.
Meanwhile, local beat in-charge Raghvendra was put on suspension with immediate effect for not taking swift action and ignoring the complaint filed by the family of the victim.
Joshi’s brother, Aniket Joshi had said, “A few men were harassing his niece a few days ago and my brother had opposed it and also filed a police complaint. A case was also registered following which he was shot at by those miscreants.”
The journalist’s family has accused the police of inaction as the complaint was lodged on July 16 after a scuffle between Joshi and the miscreants.
Rahul Gandhi slams UP Govt.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi termed the BJP-led UP government as ‘goonda raj’ (rule by hooligans), hours after the journalist succumbed to bullet injury.
“Journalist Vikram Jashi was killed after he protested against the harassment against his niece. My condolence to the family. They promised Ram Raj, but gave Goondaraj,” Gandhi tweeted.
Jungle raj prevails in UP: Mayawati
Attacking the BJP government in UP, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati alleged that “jungle raj” prevails in the state and crimes are increasing in the region.
“The manner in which serious crimes are increasing in Uttar Pradesh, including murder and against women, it is clear that the jungle raj is prevailing in the state rather than the law. In Uttar Pradesh, more than coronavirus, crime virus dominates the region. The public is affected by this. The government must pay attention to the issue,” she tweeted (roughly translated from Hindi).
The statement from the former UP Chief Minister came after the journalist died at a hospital on Wednesday.
Voices being muzzled: Mamata
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed condolences to the family of the journalist and said that voices are being muzzled and even media is not being spared.
“My heartfelt condolences to the family of Vikram Joshi, a fearless journalist who passed away today. He was shot in UP for filing an FIR to book his niece’s molesters. An atmosphere of fear has been created in the country. Voices being muzzled. Media not spared. Shocking,” the West Bengal Chief Minister tweeted.