Journalist Rajeev Pratap
Credit: X/@theprayagtiwari
Uttarkashi: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the death of digital journalist Rajiv Pratap has concluded that it was a case of road accident caused by intoxication, police said on Thursday.
Pratap (36), a resident of Dehradun, was living in Uttarkashi and had gone missing on the night of September 18. His body was recovered from the Joshiada Barrage on September 28, nearly 10 days after his disappearance.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Janak Panwar, who is heading the SIT, told reporters that after reviewing the post-mortem report, CCTV footage, and statements of those close to him, police have reached a prima facie conclusion that it was a road accident.
However, he said other aspects of the case are also being examined.
Panwar said that on September 18, Pratap, along with his former student and cameraman Manbir Kaluda, went to meet Chief Constable Soban Singh, posted at the police lines. The three then proceeded to the market and a taxi stand, where they consumed alcohol till around 10 pm.
Soban left for home in his car, but Pratap asked him to wait. They then went to a hotel, where they bought more alcohol and had dinner.
CCTV footage from the bus station later showed Pratap staggering out of the hotel around 11 pm. Shortly after, Soban also exited the hotel and both got into his car. However, Soban got out after some time, and Pratap moved to the driver's seat, the officer said.
The footage showed no one else inside the vehicle. The car was later captured on CCTV cameras passing through Badri Tiraha and Tekhala Bridge, and was last seen heading towards Gangori at 11.38 pm.
Panwar said that beyond Gangori Bridge, CCTV cameras are installed at bank ATMs and petrol pumps, but Pratap's vehicle was not visible in any of the footage from those locations.
During questioning, Soban told police he had tried to dissuade Pratap from driving as he was intoxicated and rarely drove. However, Pratap insisted, saying, 'I'll go a little further, turn the car around and be back.' Soban claimed he followed him for some distance on foot but, unable to trace him, assumed he had gone to his sister's house in Kot Bangla and returned home.
Police suspect that the car lost control near Gangori and plunged into the Bhagirathi River. This is supported by the post-mortem report, Panwar said.
He said that Sub-Inspector and Investigating Officer Dilmohan Bisht carried out a technical inspection of the recovered vehicle. All doors were found locked, windows covered, the ignition was on, and the keys were in place. The boot was open, likely due to the impact of the crash.
Panwar added that, as per the report, had the driver exited the vehicle after turning off the ignition and locking the doors, the keys would not have been left inside. The locked windows further rule out the possibility of the vehicle being locked from the outside.
A blue slipper was found inside the car after sand was removed, but no other significant evidence was recovered, he said.
Meanwhile, Pratap's family and the Congress party have raised suspicions over his death, demanding an impartial probe. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi termed the incident 'tragic and horrific' and alleged that honest journalism lives in fear under BJP rule.
Pratap's father, Murari Lal, and other family members have also claimed that the journalist had received threats prior to his death. Amid mounting pressure, Uttarakhand Director General of Police Deepam Seth ordered the formation of the SIT, led by Panwar.
Panwar reiterated that while the incident appears to be an accident, further investigation is underway to explore all possible angles.