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A 42-year-old news channel reporter died after his motorcycle rammed a pole near a brick kiln in Pratapgarh, police said on Monday.
The reporter, Sulabh Srivastava, recently ran a news story against the liquor mafia, and two days ago, he had written to the Prayagraj additional director general of police, seeking protection.
The Police registered a first information report (FIR) against unknown persons at Kolwali Police Station in connection with the death of Srivastava.
The family of Srivastava also said that he was getting threats and has demanded protection from the police.
"My husband was very worried for 3-4 days after he reported some news. He had said few people were following him for three days. He was getting threats and was worried about himself and us.
"He wrote to ADG and SP and asked for security. But no security was provided. He lost his life because he worked to reveal the truth.
"I demand justice from the government. I have two children. Now how will I look after them?" Renuka Srivastava, wife of Sulabh Srivastava told ANI.
"He had covered a story after which 3-4 people started following him. He had submitted application to ADG regarding the same.
"Neither any action was taken nor security was given. I'm not sure but it looks like murder," Renuka Srivastava added.
Bharatiya Janata Party MP from Pratapgarh Sangam Lal Gupta also demanded an impartial probe of the incident.
"He used to report against mafias. Liquor mafias were busted. He was murdered when he was returning from coverage. My sympathy is with the family," Gupta told ANI.
Earlier, police had called the death an accident.
"Sulabh Shrivastava, a journalist, was returning from Lalganj where he met with an accident. He was taken to the district hospital where doctors declared him dead
"Initial probe revealed that Srivastava fell after his bike collided with a handpump along the road," said Surendra P Dwivedi, Additional Superintendent of Police, Pratapgarh East.
Meanwhile, the Samajwadi Party demanded a high-level inquiry into the death of Srivastava.
'The mysterious death of a TV reporter in an alleged accident is extremely sad. The BJP government in this case should constitute a high-level probe, and tell the family members and the public that despite the apprehension of murder by the liquor mafia expressed by the reporter, why he was not provided security,' SP chief Akhilesh Yadav said in a tweet in Hindi.