Two persons have been arrested by the police in connection with the murder of journalist Dharmendra Singh, who was shot dead by unidentified assailants on Saturday in Sasaram of Rohtas district. The family members of the slain scribe had demanded a CBI inquiry in the case.
Radhika Raman Rai and Manish Singh were arrested by a special investigation team late on Monday night, said Naiyar Husnain Khan, Inspector General of Police, Patna. Both were nabbed from two separate places of Rohtas district.
Manish Singh was wanted by the police in three other cases. The police have also recovered the motorcycle which was allegedly used in the crime.
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“On the basis of the interrogation, the police have been conducting raids to arrest other suspects…we’re investigating the murder case from all angles”, said Mr. Khan. He said Pappu Singh, currently lodged in Gaya jail, on criminal charges had a grudge against the journalist. On the basis of a written complaint by Ravindra Singh, brother-in-law of the journalist, police had lodged an FIR with town police station against four named and two unnamed persons in the case.
“The police will file a charge sheet against those arrested soon and put them on trial”, said Mr. Khan.
Dharmendra Singh who was working for the local edition of Hindi newspaper, Dainik Bhaskar, was shot dead when he was having tea at a roadside stall outside his house in Amra Talab area of Rohtas town. He is survived by his wife and three children.
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The Lok Janshakti Party chief and Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan and senior State BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi had, earlier, visited the family members of the murdered journalist and demanded compensation along with full security to them.
“It’s unfortunate that even journalists are not safe in Bihar today…This is the second incident in six months in which a journalist was killed by criminals…there is no rule of law in Bihar”, charged Mr. Paswan.
Earlier on May 13, a senior journalist working for a vernacular newspaper was shot dead in Siwan while on his way home from office. His wife Asha Ranjan had demanded a CBI inquiry, which was later recommended by the State government.