New Delhi: In the wake of a death of a journalist investigating illegal sand mining cases in Bhind district of Madhya Pradesh, the state’s chief minister, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, on Monday said security of journalists was the government’s priority and strict action would be taken against the culprit.
Sandeep Sharma, a 35-year-old scribe, was run over by a speeding dumper truck under mysterious circumstances on Monday morning. The police have formed an SIT team to probe the death.
Sharma was working with a national news channel and had filed a complaint with the police citing immediate threat to his life from a police officer after a ‘sting operation’ against the latter.
The journalist had been investigating the nexus between the sand mining mafia and the police and had filed a story accusing the police officer of being hand in glove with the sand mafia. An audio conversation of the officer in question was aired by his channel after which the officer was transferred, sources said.
The incident took place a few meters away from the Kotwali police station at 8.55am when Sharma who was riding his two-wheeler was hit by the dumper from behind killing him on the spot. Police cordoned off the area and efforts were on to arrest the dumper driver. CCTV footage of the area was also being scanned.