Police probe TV channels’ role in death by poison of five protestors

The five dead have been identified as Rajesh, Tribhuvan, Mangaroo, Guru Deo and Ram Chandra.

The 11 shop owners allegedly consumed a poisonous substance in Gurubagh area of Varanasi on Tuesday in an apparent suicide attempt. Fear of losing their makeshift kisoks to an ongoing anti-encroachment drive by the municipal corporation was said to be the reason but the local police chief, S P Shirodkar, told The Indian Express that the incident might have been instigated by reporters of the two news channels.

Shirodkar, who is Varanasi’s Senior Superintendent of Police, said the police had registered an FIR on the basis of a complaint lodged by one Ram Lal Kesari. The FIR says one tablet each was given to all the physically challenged persons who had gathered at a spot in Gurubagh area to protest the anti-encroachment drive.

Shirodkar had earlier told Express that the shopkeepers were told they were consuming a mild intoxicant and were assured of wide media coverage. “They were also told that they would be unconscious for just three to four hours,” he said.

District Magistrate Ms Veena told Express the police are examining the role of both channels in this episode. “They have live footage of the incident. One member of the channel team is a relative of one arrested person,” she said.

The victims undergoing treatment at the BHU hospital today backed Shirodkar’s version of what happened yesterday. They told Express they had consumed the tablets thinking it was a medicine to make them unconscious for a few hours. “I though the tablet was a sedative… I have five daughters. My good friend Tribhuvan died today,” said Muhhammed Nasik, a physically challenged person.

Khalidur Rahman is not even a kiosk owner. “I am a beggar. But I enjoyed the company of kisok owners,” Rahman, who is disabled in both his legs, said. Asked about his decision to swallow the tablet, Rehman said: “One person persuaded me to consume the tablet, saying it would prompt the government to give me money.”

Meanwhile, Star News correspondent Pankaj Srivastava said the administration was framing his channel. “Everyone knew for the last two days that they would be committing suicide. I cannot understand why only we are being named when many more people were present at the spot,” Srivastava said in Lucknow.

Star News correspondent in Varanasi, Shailesh, said: “Our only fault is that we reached the spot early and informed senior police officers about it.”

The state bureau chief of IBN7, Abhishek Upadhyaya, said, “It is wrong to frame any correspondent in this case. Victims had sent letters to all district chiefs of police and administration and everyone was aware of their plans.”