Man who allegedly shot dead journalist in U.P. arrested

Illegal .32 bore pistol, cartridges seized from him, say police.

Ballia: Police personnel guard in the village Phephna where TV journalist Ratan Singh was allegedly shot dead, in Balia district, Tuesday, Aug 25, 2020.

The man who allegedly shot dead television journalist Ratan Singh in Ballia last week was arrested on Friday, police said.

Prashant Singh alias Heera was arrested from a tri-junction after he encountered a police team in Ballia, said Sanjay Kumar Yadav, Additional SP, Ballia.

An illegal .32 bore pistol, a live cartridge and a “misfired” cartridge were recovered from him, said the officer.

“During questioning, he confessed that this illegal pistol was used by him to murder journalist Ratan Singh,” said Mr. Yadav.

Further legal action was being taken, added the ASP.

Ratan Singh, who worked for Hindi channel

Sahara Samay , was on Monday shot dead in Phephna village on the premises of the local headman.

Police said a long-running land dispute between the journalist and the accused and personal animosity were the reasons behind the incident.

However, the deceased journalist’s father had questioned the police narrative that the murder took place over a land dispute, with the immediate cause being a confrontation over storing straw.