Guwahati: The accused mastermind in a sensational murder case of a television journalist from Jaunpur locality of Uttar Pradesh (UP) escapes the police custody while he was taken to the north Indian State by train. Jamiruddin Qureshi (50), who was arrested from Bhiwandi area of Mumbai in connection with the killing of Ashutosh Srivastava in Maharashtra, jumped off the train as it arrived in Khandwa station (Madhya Pradesh) in the early morning hours on Thursday. Two police personnel escorted the accused after getting the transit remand on 15 May to bring back Jamiruddin to Jaunpur for trials.
Earlier, chasing the criminal involved with the murder of Ashutosh Srivastava (45), who was associated with nationalist television channel Sudarshan News, the Mumbai police caught notorious cow smuggler Jamiruddin. Ashutosh was shot dead on 13 May on the outskirts of Jaunpur. Soon after the incident Jamiruddin left for Mumbai and hid there. However, following the tips from UP police, Jamiruddin was picked up on Wednesday. Ashutosh informed the police about the threats he received following a series of reports on cow slaughtering & smuggling incidents, but shockingly they paid little attention. But facing the heat of protests, they initiated to arrest Jamiruddin, who is a seasoned criminal.
Ashutosh is the 46th victim among journalists killed since 1 January this year across the globe, said the Geneva-based global media safety and rights body, Press Emblem Campaign (PEC). Condemning the murder of Ashutosh, PEC president Blaise Lempen demanded a fair probe to identify and punish the perpetrators under the law of the land. He even urged UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath to take personal interest in booking the culprits. PEC has extended moral support to the local scribe’s body (Jaunpur Patrakar Sangh) in its fight for justice to Ashutosh. The agitated journalists are asking the government to offer Rs 50 lakhs to the bereaved family.
As the slaughtering of cows, which is adored by the Hindus as a holy animal, remains illegal in UP, media reports often come out on relentless conflicts between the cow traders and Hindu nationalists. Ashutosh might have become a victim of circumstance, but he deserves justice, said PEC’s south Asia representative Nava Thakuria. Monday also witnessed the fourth phase of polling under India’s general elections 2024 to form the 18th Lok Sabha and three phases are still waiting for voting, where the counting for votes will take place on 4 June (results are also expected the same day).
It may be mentioned that the Indian subcontinent has reported five journo-casualties this year till date, where the trouble torn Pakistan lost three scribes (Maulana Mohammad Siddique Mengal, Jam Saghir Ahmed Lar and Tahira Nosheen Rana) and Myanmar lost one (Ko Myat Thu Tun) to assailants. Last year, Pakistan lost Imtiaz Baig, Ghulam Asghar Khand and Jan Mohammed Mahar and India witnessed the killing of Shashikant Warishe, Abdur Rauf Alamgir and Vimal Kumar Yadav. Similarly, Ashiqul Islam and Golam Rabbani Nadim lost their lives in Bangladesh, where Husein Naderi and Akmal Nazari were killed in Afghanistan.
