Patna : The Siwan police on Saturday evening arrrested Upendra Singh, a sharpshooter of jailed former MP Md Shahabuddin in connection with the murder of journalist Rajdev Ranjan on Friday night. Police also detained two more persons who are being questioned.
Upendra Singh was arrested last year on charges of his involvement in the murder of Srikant Bharti, secretary of Siwan’s BJP MP Omprakash Yadav and was recently released on bail. Shahabuddin is member of the national executive of the RJD led by Lalu Prasad.
Family members of Rajdev Ranjan today charged Shahabuddin with the murder of the journalist. They said shooters sent by the RJD leader, currently in jail killed Rajdev who was returning from his office.
Five shots were fired by the motorcycle borne criminals, out of which two hit Rajdev, killing him on the spot.
Due to fear of the jailed MP, no one cared to lift him and his body was lying on the road near Siwan railway station for more than 30 minutes. His journalist friends who saw Rajdev lying on the road took him to the hospital, where he was declared brought dead.
Family members said the local police station was 500 metres away from the spot, but police turned up late.
According to the family members, Rajdev was threatened n 2007 too and he was attacked in the office of his newspaper too. Meanwhile, Siwan SP Saurabh Kumar Shah said Rajdev was fired from close and two bullets pierced the head and neck of the journalist.
Wide condemnation of the killing of the Siwan journalist continued on Saturday with the Press Council of India chairman, former Judge of Supreme Court, Chandramauli K Prasad demanding the setting up of a fast track court and urging the government of India to frame special laws to protect journalists.