New Delhi: A day after he wrote to the Prayagraj additional director general of police, seeking protection, a 42-year-old TV journalist based in Uttar Pradesh died after his motorcycle rammed a pole near a brick kiln in Pratapgarh district last night. Sulabh Shrivastava, a reporter with ABP News’ regional arm, ABP Ganga had recently run a story on the channel against the liquor mafias in the district.

Two days after the media reportage, he wrote to senior cops saying his life is in danger. He was reportedly informed by sources that liquor mafia was furious at him following his report.

However, the police said that the journalist lost his life in an accident. Additional Superintendent of Police Surendra Dwivedi said the crash took place on Sunday when Srivastava was returning from Asrahi village under the Lalganj police station area after reporting on an illegal arms manufacturing unit uncovered there.

After the crash, Srivastava was taken to the district hospital, where doctors declared him dead, he said, adding that they were probing various angles. The body of the deceased was sent for a post-mortem examination.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Lambasts Yogi Govt

Meanwhile, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has lambasted Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath over the incident. Taking to Twitter, she asked, “Does the UP government, which nurtures ‘jungle raj’, have any answer to the tears of the family members of journalist Sulabh Srivastava?