Hindu journalist shot dead in Pakistan, march held in protest at Sukkur city in Sindh

Pakistan’s Hindu journalist Ajay Lalwani became a victim to a few politicians and bureaucrats-backed militants who shot him in cold blood while he was sitting in a barber shop.

New Delhi: Pakistan’s Hindu journalist Ajay Lalwani became an alleged victim to a few politicians and bureaucrats-backed militants who shot him in cold blood while he was sitting in a barber shop.

The incident took place late on March 17 when a few unidentified gunmen came to the barber shop in Salahpat, near Sukkur in Sindh province of Pakistan and sprayed him with bullets. Ajay Lalwani who received multiple shots on his legs, stomach, and arms was rushed to the Civil Hospital where he succumbed to his inuries the next day.

In protest of the killing of Ajay Lalwani, the journalist union of Sukkur took out a protest march in the city on Saturday and demanded security for the journalists. They also raised a question mark on the alleged inaction of Sukkur police for allegedly shielding a few politicians whom the late Ajay Lalwani had exposed in recent past.

A source in Sukkur informed that late Ajay was considered a ‘bold’ journalist and had exposed several scams and cases involving politicians.

“He was working on a story on the hand of a local politician and a few bureaucrats behind a few Islamic clerics who convert Hindu girls into Islam, he had also exposed the hand of a few politicians behind the abduction of the Hindu girls which probably became the reason of attack on him” said the source.

Pakistan’s Hindu MNA Lal Chand Malhi told media that he had directed the police to expedite the investigation in the case and arrest the culprits no matter how influential they were.

According to the incident report prepared by Irfan Ali Samo, a copy of which is with Zee News, the unidentified armed assailants arrived at the barber shop at around 9.30 pm on a motorcycle and shot Ajay. As a the result, the journalist received bullet injuries and was immediately rushed to GMMMC Hospital, Sukkur for medical treatment but he didn’t survive and succumbed due to injuries on March 18.

Sources informed that police had registered a FIR against six persons but no arrest had been made so far.