Umaria: A day after a local
journalist, along with his family members, was found allegedly
murdered in his house; the Madhya Pradesh government on Sunday
announced an STF-level probe into the incident.
Madhya Pradesh Police's Special Task Force (STF) will
probe the gruesome murder of Chandrika Rai and his family
members, DGP S K Raut said after visiting the town today.
Chandrika Rai (42), wife Durga Rai (40), son Jalaj
(19) and daughter Nisha (14) were found lying in pools of
blood in different rooms of the family's house last evening.
Rai worked as a freelancer for dailies Navbharat and
Hitavada, while his wife was a member of local Janpad.
According to police, the house was locked from outside
the whole day yesterday. Finding something amiss, Rai's
brother went to the house and broke the lock to find the
horrific scene inside.
Even as police are ascertaining the motive behind the
incident they suspect that the murder could have been an
insider's job and was committed on the night of February 17.
The victims appeared to have been hit on the head by a
heavy iron object.
The incident sent shockwaves among citizens who
observed a bandh.
The journalist fraternity protesting against the
incident did not allow police to take away the bodies for
cremation.
However, the DGP assured the scribes that the culprits
will be nabbed soon following which they let the bodies
shifted for the last rights.
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has announced an
ex-gratia of Rs one lakh to the kin of Rai's family.
Meanwhile, condemning the murder, the opposition
leader Ajay Singh said the scribe was actively writing against
illegal mining being carried out in the area.
Demanding immediate arrest of perpetrators, Ajay
alleged that law and order situation has totally collapsed in
the state.
The state president of Working Journalist Union
Shalabh Bhadoria also strongly condemned the murder and sought
a compensation of Rs 10 lakh for Rai's kin.
PTI
First Published: Sunday, February 19, 2012, 21:40