UP journalist's family calls off protest as Akhilesh govt offers Rs 30 lakh compensation, jobs

Even as the Supreme Court pulled up the Centre and Uttar Pradesh governments over a CBI probe into the death of journalist Jagendra Singh in Shahjahanpur, the state government has offered compensation to his family. However, there is no word on the probe.

According to a CNN-IBN report , the UP government has offered Rs 30 lakh as compensation and jobs for two family members of the deceased, after which the family is said to have called off their protest.

Earlier on Monday the SC had issued notices to the Central and the Uttar Pradesh governments on a plea for a CBI probe into the killing of Singh allegedly at the behest of state minister Ram Murti Verma.

A notice had also been issued to the Press Council of India. All three have to respond within two weeks.

PIL petitioner S Jain urged the court to frame guidelines and issue directions that in the case of an unnatural death of a journalist, the investigation should be monitored by the district and sessions judge.

Singh, a Saharanpur-based journalist, was doused with kerosene and allegedly set on fire by some Uttar Pradesh police peresonnel after a raid at his residence. He died of burn injuries on 8 June.

Singh had allegedly invoked the wrath of minister Verma for posting the minister’s alleged illegal mining and land grabbing activities on his Facebook page.

Singh’s family had gone on a hunger strike demanding a CBI probe into his death, even as UP CM Akhilesh Yadav had backed the accused minister Verma.

The family had said that Singh had written a Facebook post against Verma regarding his alleged involvement in illegal mining and land grabbing, after which the minister sent cops to his house who doused Singh with kerosene oil and then set him on fire.

Singh’s family had registered an FIR against minister Verma and five others including policemen at Puwayan police station of Shahjahanpur after he died during treatment The FIR was lodged under IPC 302 (murder), 120 B (criminal conspiracy), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 506 (criminal intimidation).

The video footage of dying declaration which went viral on news channels and social media showed Jagendra Singh stating, “Why did they have to burn me? If the minister and his goons had a grudge, they could have beaten me instead of pouring kerosene and burning me.”

With agency inputs