UP journalist death: Cops say probe indicates accident

Sulabh Srivastava, 42, had written to senior police officials flagging a “threat” to his life from the local liquor mafia, on which he had reported. Two days later, on Sunday, the ABP news journalist was dead.

ABP journalist Sulabh Srivastava. (Twitter/Sulabh Srivastava)

Days after a television journalist died in Uttar Pradesh’s Pratapgarh district, the police Wednesday said its investigation so far points to an accident.

Sulabh Srivastava, 42, had written to senior police officials flagging a “threat” to his life from the local liquor mafia, on which he had reported. Two days later, on Sunday, the ABP news journalist was dead.

The police initially said the death appeared to have been caused by a motorcycle accident. On Monday, they registered a murder case after the journalist’s wife alleged that he had feared for his life.

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Pratapgarh Superintendent of Police Akash Tomar Wednesday said that statements by journalists who were with Srivastava before the incident and the journalists first to arrive at the scene of the incident indicated an accident. “We are still exploring all other possible angles,” he added in a statement.

Tomar also said that two hours before the accident, Sulabh was drinking with three journalist friends. “The statements of the three journalists who had drinks with Sulabh two hours before the incident are being recorded and will be corroborated with CDR and Field unit analysis,” he said.

He also said that the incident will be reconstructed by the Forensic Science Laboratory.

The SP said the case is being investigated by a team of eight officers, adding that he is personally overseeing the probe.

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“We are not closing the case anytime soon. Only after we have probed all possibilities will that be done. We are doing a very thorough investigation,” added Tomar.

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