Journalist, wife beaten to death in UP

Sonbhadra (Uttar Pradesh): Police arrested five persons for allegedly beating to death a journalist and his wife in Barwadih village here.

Victim Uday Paswan, working for a Hindi daily, died on the spot while his wife, Sheetla, succumbed to injuries at a hospital in Varanasi on Tuesday.

The incident stemmed from an old enmity with a former village head, the main accused, who is absconding.

The deceased had earlier approached the Kone police for security in view of threat to him and his family but no action was taken.

Three police personnel have now been suspended for dereliction of duty.

Superintendent of Police Sonbhadra Ashish Srivastava, said on Wednesday, "Inspector Kone police station, a sub-inspector and a constable have been suspended in this connection. Five of six accused persons have also been arrested while the main accused, Keval Paswan, who is also a former village head, is absconding."

Uday and his wife Sheetla, who had been demanding security, had gone to the Kone police station on Monday morning to pursue their demand.

Late on Monday evening, when the couple was returning home on a motorcycle, they were attacked with sticks and rods.

The couple cried out for help but no one came forward.

Uday died on the spot and Sheetla was admitted with serious injuries and died on Tuesday evening.

The body of Uday was sent for post mortem.

Srivastava said, "On the complaint of Uday's son Vinay Paswan, a named FIR against a former village head Keval Paswan, his wife Kaushalya, sons Jitendra, Gabbar, Sikandar and his representative Ekhlaq Alam has been lodged under sections 147, 148 and 302 of IPC."

He added that except Keval, all other accused have been arrested while raids are continuing to nab the main accused.

Vinay informed police that his father was a farmer and worked as a correspondent with a Lucknow-based Hindi daily.

Uday had a land dispute with Keval for long and cases had been lodged against both the groups in 2016, 2018 and this year too.

Vinay said, "My father had also given a complaint in Chief Minister's Janata Darbar in Lucknow. Despite directives issued from the Chief Minister's Office, the Sonbhadra police did not pay any attention."

IANS report with edits