Lucknow tense after killing

Media circles in Lucknow were on edge today after Paritosh Pandey, crime reporter with a leading Hindi daily here, was shot dead by unidentified assailants at his residence. The police have not ruled the mafia8217;s involvement in the killing, which took place last night.

Pandey, a reporter for Jansatta Express not of The Indian Express group, was shot dead at point-blank range at his Gomti Nagar residence when he was watching TV, around 10-30 p.m., Senior Superintendent of Police B B Bakshi said today.

The assailants barged into Pandey8217;s house and fired five rounds from a revolver at his head and face, killing the 32-year-old journalist on the spot, Bakshi said, adding his wife and daughter were not present in the house at the time of the murder.