Journalist shot dead in Madhya Pradesh

India has ranked among the worst in the world press freedom.

Bhopal, June 1: A journalist was shot dead at his office in Madhya Pradesh' Pipliyamandi busy market on Wednesday night. His family members alleged that it was a murder carried out by liquor mafia which he exposed recently.

Kamlesh Jain, 42, a journalist in Pipliyamandi was alone in his office at Lovely Chouraha filing stories for the Indore-based Hindi daily when two suspects came on a motorcycle, shot him twice at close range and fled the scene.

The Pipliyamandi police said that it was incident took place in the town. Kamlesh's killing yet again proves the difficulties journalists face in India. Jain's death led to a spontaneous protest with traders raising slogans against the police.

Based on the information, DIG Avinash Sharma rushed to Pipliyamandi.

Manish Jain, the brother of Kamlesh Jain said that his brother had a quarrel with some people involved in illegal liquor trade near a railway crossing where they threatened to kill him four days ago.

He added that Kamlesh did lodge a complaint at the local police station but no action was taken.

According to sources, Kamlesh had informed local police about some local restaurant owners who were selling alcohol illegally, which led to one one of their vehicles loaded with liquor was seized by police.

Anil Singh Thakur, Pipliyamandi town in-charge did not confirm the motive and said the investigation underway in multiple angles.

However, DIG Avinash Sharma said that suspects had been identified and they will be arrested soon.

DIG denied that Kamlesh had lodged a complaint alleging a threat to life and said that the police were aware of the quarrel at the railway crossing, and a Dial-100 team reached the spot after receiving a call from the journalist, but the other party fled the spot by then.

Police sources revealed that three suspects were held identified as Jaswant Sondhiya, Jeetu and Banti all hailing from Bhanchekheri in Pipliyamandi but none of them has charged yet.

OneIndia News