UP's whistle-blower, who was shot after exposing top cop, dies

An Uttar Pradesh whistle-blower, who was shot at and critically injured after accusing the district police chief of Mahoba, about 300 kilometres from here, of demanding a bribe, died at a hospital.

The whistle-blower, Indrakant Tripathi, who dealt in stone crushing business at Kabrai area in Mahoba, was shot at barely two days after he uploaded a video on the social media claiming that the then district police chief Manilal Patidar had demanded bribe from him to allow him to carry on his business.

Tripathi was rushed to the hospital in Kanpur, where he succumbed to his injuries late on Sunday night.

Patidar was suspended by the UP government and a probe was ordered against him. The family members of Tripathi alleged on Monday that Patidar was 'behind' attack on the trader and demanded his immediate arrest.

''Tripathi had received threatening calls after the video went viral on social media.....we suspect that Patidar may be behind the attack,'' the nephew of the slain trader said.

He also said that Patidar was referred to as 'Raja' (king) in the district.

The opposition parties launched a scathing attack on the Yogi Adityanath government and said that the police officials were now giving' 'supari' (contract killing) against those raising their voice against corruption.

''Tripathi's murder raises serious questions on the functioning of the UP government....corruption and crime are at their peak in the state,'' Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said on Monday.