In a suspected shooting incident, a journalist in Uttar Pradesh’s Unnao district was injured, three months after he claimed to have received threats from members of the land mafia. The journalist, Mannu Awasthi, was found seriously injured near Kotwal police station limits on Saturday night and was later reported to be in stable condition.
The incident has sparked a political controversy, with the journalist’s family filing a complaint alleging that he was shot by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers. Opposition leaders have demanded a thorough investigation into the matter.
Awasthi, who worked for a vernacular daily, was riding his scooter through an area under the Kotwal police station limits when unidentified assailants shot at him around 10:25 pm. He sustained injuries on his right shoulder and was initially taken to the district hospital. Due to the severity of his condition, he was later transferred to Hallett Hospital in Kanpur, where he received treatment. Bullet cartridges were recovered from the scene by the police.
Following the incident, an FIR was registered against two individuals, Anshu Gupta and Deepak Singh, at the city police station. The FIR includes charges of rioting, armed rioting, attempted murder, and criminal intimidation. The victim’s father lodged the complaint. The police are currently investigating the matter and will take appropriate legal action based on the findings.
Earlier this year in March, Awasthi had informed the local police station about threats to his life after exposing irregularities in land mining. In his written complaint, he named four members of the land mafia, expressing fear for his safety and stating that they would be responsible if any harm came to him or his family. He also released a video alleging pressure from a sitting MLA to suppress his news report on an attack at a BJP leader’s house.
The incident has drawn criticism from opposition parties, with Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav questioning the safety of journalists and accusing the BJP of promoting a culture of violence. The Congress’s UP unit also raised concerns about the journalist’s safety and claimed that the incident was a result of his reporting on criminals linked to the BJP.
It is worth noting that rape and cheating cases were lodged against Awasthi in May, a month after he filed a complaint against the land mafia. The investigation into the rape case is ongoing, and the woman involved has provided her statement to a magistrate.