A journalist, who was questioned in connection with an attack on three scribes covering a raid on an alleged dance bar here, was found dead near a lodge at Kashimira locality in Bhayander today, police said.
The body of the deceased, identified as Raghavendra Dubey, working for a local weekly, was found in a pool of blood with head injuries, hours after he left for home from the Nayanagar Police Station around 4 am .
Three injured journalists--Sashikumar Krishnakumar Sharma, Santosh Mishra and Anil Notiyal--working for a local publication, had gone to cover the late night raid at the bar.
Also Read
According to the complaint lodged by one of the scribes, they were attacked by employees of the bar as its owner suspected that they had tipped the police off about the "illegal" activities inside the bar.
Later in the wee hours, Dubey was called by police to inquire about one of the scribes who had run away from the spot after suffering injury, police said.
However, police said Dubey left the police station for home ar around 4.15 am on a motorcycle. His body was later found on the road opposite a lodge with severe head injuries. His motorcycle was missing from the scene.
Police suspect that Dubey was killed by some people who had enmity towards him.
"We are investigating the case from all angles including possible involvement of some local politicians and goons against whom Dubey had made several complaints to the police," a senior police officer, requesting anonymity, said.
Two FIRs have been registered in Mira Road police station in connection with the attack and murder of the journalist under sections IPC.
Six persons have been taken into custody for interrogation, they said.
Immediately after the incident, Thane DSP Rajesh Pradhan and Special IG Konkan Range Prashant Burde rushed to the town and are supervising the probe.
A delegation of journalists met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in Mumbai and urged him to ensure that the perpetrators are charged with non-bailable and cognaizable offences.
