Journalist Rajeev Pratap Singh.
Credit: X/@theprayagtiwari
Lucknow: Uttarakhand journalist Rajiv Pratap Singh, whose body was recovered nine days after he went missing from the Joshiyara Barrage in Uttarkashi district, was found to have died from internal injuries, according to his postmortem report. His family, however, suspects foul play and has demanded a thorough probe.
The state government has set up a special team led by the Uttarkashi DSP to investigate the case amid growing demands from journalists’ organisations for an impartial inquiry and adequate compensation for the bereaved family.
Singh, a freelance journalist based in Uttarkashi, had been missing since September 19. His damaged car was discovered the next day near a river. The family lodged a complaint alleging that he may have been kidnapped and murdered.
A senior police official said on Wednesday that the autopsy report showed no signs of external attack, concluding that the death was caused by internal injuries, suggesting the possibility of an accident.
“A special team has been formed which will investigate the matter afresh… all evidence will be reassessed,” the official said.
Singh’s wife, however, maintained that he had been receiving death threats after uploading videos highlighting the poor condition of a local hospital and a school.
Former Congress president and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi also demanded an impartial probe into the journalist’s death.