A 25-year-old local journalist was shot in Unnao district of Uttar Pradesh on Saturday night, a few months after he alleged receiving threats from the land mafia.
Local media reports have called the victim – Manu Awasthi – as a journalist. However, Unnao Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Shashi Shekhar Singh denied the claim. “Awasthi did most of his work on WhatsApp, disseminating news in groups on the messaging platform. Hence, I do not consider him to be a journalist,” the senior police officer told Siasat.com.
“Contradictions have emerged after the incident,” the ASP said, adding, the cartridges found at the scene were from a .32 bore pistol, which did not match the superficial wound that Awasthi had received on his right shoulder.
Awasthi’s condition is now stable, the ASP said.
A few months ago, Awasthi had submitted a complaint to the police alleging threats to his life from the land mafia. The ASP told Siasat.com it was taken into cognisance and Awasthi was provided with round-the-clock security at his house.
“However, a dispute occurred with his parents and Awasthi moved in with his sister. After this, he refused police security,” Singh said.
According to the police, Awasthi also denied personal security which was offered to him earlier.
The complaint against the land mafia is being investigated and “no one who is guilty will be spared,” the ASP said.
Earlier, Awasthi had released a video saying he had started receiving life threats after doing a news report on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Vinay Singh. “I am being followed by unknown cars with no registration numbers,” he stated in the video.
Since no complaint has been received from Awasthi with regard to the shooting incident, no FIR was registered, police said.
