UP journalist death: Priyanka Gandhi writes to CM Yogi Adityanath, demands CBI probe

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday shot off a letter to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and demanded a CBI investigation into the death of a journalist under “mysterious circumstances”.

Priyanka said journalist Sulabh Srivastava was found dead under mysterious circumstances near a brick kiln in Pratapgarh district of Uttar Pradesh while returning from a reporting assignment.

She said the journalist had reported on illicit brewing of liquor which had angered the local liquor mafia.

“I request you to order a CBI inquiry in this matter. Action should be taken against the nexus of liquor mafia and administration which has taken roots across the state,” Priyanka said in a letter to the chief minister.

“The fact that a journalist faces threat from the liquor mafia after reporting on such incidents indicates that the rule of law in the state has lost its supremacy,” she said.

Priyanka is the AICC General Secretary in-charge of Uttar Pradesh and is tasked with the revival of the Congress’ fortunes in the state that goes for elections early next year. Congress has been out of power in the state for more than three decades and managed to win seven seats in a 403-member assembly in 2017.

Priyanka has been targeting the Uttar Pradesh government over its handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, law and order situation in the state among a host of other issues.

She said a day before he was murdered, the journalist had written a letter to the additional director general of police, Prayagraj zone, expressing concern about his and his family's safety and stating that the local liquor mafia was angry with his news report on illicit liquor.

The Congress leader said there have been reports from several parts of the state on deaths due to consumption of spurious liquor.

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