Media bodies demand judicial probe into attack on Ghaziabad journalist

New Delhi: Media bodies on Wednesday condemned the attack on Ghaziabad-based journalist Vikram Joshi, who succumbed to his injuries during treatment and demanded a judicial probe into it as well as other incidents of assault on scribes in Uttar Pradesh.

Observing that attack on journalists, especially in Uttar Pradesh, has been increasing in the recent times, the Press Association and the Indian Women's Press Corps (IWPC) demanded that the Uttar Pradesh government bring to book all the culprits in the attack on Joshi as well as in other assault on scribes in the state.

Joshi, who was shot in the head by some assailants, succumbed to injuries at a private hospital early on Wednesday.

He had lodged a complaint with the police alleging harassment of his niece on July 16 and was shot around 10.30 pm on Monday near his home in Vijay Nagar area, according to officials.

The Press Association and the IWPC condemned the "dastardly attack" on Joshi.

"We observe that attack on journalists, especially in Uttar Pradesh, is increasing in recent times. At the same time, no concrete action has been taken by the state government in many of the cases," the Press Association and IWPC said in a joint statement.

"We demand that all the culprits in this case as well as in previous cases must be brought to book by launching a 'special operation' by the state government," they said. The two media bodies also demanded adequate financial help for the bereaved family of Joshi.

More importantly, considering the past record of murderous attacks on the next of kin of the victims in Uttar Pradesh, the state government must provide adequate security to the members of Joshi's family, the statement said.

There also should be a high-level judicial inquiry into this incident and past incidents of attack on journalists, they said.

"We understand that nine accused have been arrested and the station in-charge has been suspended with the initiation of departmental inquiry after the family of the journalist alleged inaction by the police. But these are not enough to bring out the truths and bring the culprits to book," the Press Association and IWPC said.

(PTI)