Journalist Vikram Joshi who was shot in Ghaziabad dies
Journalist Vikram Joshi, who was shot by goons in Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad on Monday night for protesting harassment of niece, has died. Joshi was shot in front of his two daughters aged 5 and 11 while he was returning home on a bike. The entire incident has been caught on CCTV. Vikram Joshi breathed his last at 4 am in Ghaziabad's Yashoda Hospital.
Joshi was attacked by a gang of nine, who cornered him to a car before launching a brutal attack. The killers then shot him at the back of his head while his 11-year-old daughter kept crying for help. The entire bone-chilling incident has been caught on the CCTV. The incident took place at Vijay Nagar's Mata Colony.
Joshi's 11-year-old daughter is seen running for help as his father lay unconscious on the ground. The little girl tries to wake up his father who was bleeding. The 11-year-old then sits on the floor and is seen crying. She then called the family member from his father's mobile phone.
5 out of 9 arrested are history-sheeters
Uttar Pradesh Police has arrested nine people in connection with Vikram Joshi's murder. Five out of the nine men have criminal cases against them. Chhotu, the main accused, who was named by Vikram Joshi in his complaint about harassing his niece, has several cases against him. Joshi had lodged a complaint against Chhotu for harassing his 17-year-old niece. Chhotu remained free despite sexual harassment complaint against him and no FIR was filed until he shot the journalist. Chhotu and Ravi (another accused named in by Joshi) also threatened him for taking the matter to police.
Police Negligence
Senior Superintendent of Police, Ghaziabad, Kalanidhi Naithani told PTI that said nine people, including two of the three named in the FIR, have been arrested while the local police post in-charge was suspended in the wake of the incident.
In his complaint lodged at the Vijay Nagar police post, Joshi had named Chhotu, Ravi and Akash.
“The family has alleged inadequate action by the local police post in-charge, who has been suspended with immediate effect considering the gravity of the matter. A departmental inquiry has been ordered and the local Circle Officer will probe the matter,” SSP Naithani said.
Law and Order
The bone-chilling CCTV footage of journalist while his daughter cries for help is disturbing to say the least. It also raises basic questions of safety and law and order in the National Capital Region. Criminals had no fear of law as police took no action despite a complaint from a journalist. It also raises questions on safety of women. It raises doubts among people if they should actually go out and file a complaint against a criminal?
