The gunmen knocked on his door and called his name at around 5:30 am. (file)
New Delhi:
A local journalist in Bihar’s Araria district was shot dead this morning at his house by unidentified gunmen, Bihar Police said. The incident took place in the Raniganj Bazaar area. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has called it a dukhad (sad) incident and said that on hearing the news, he immediately directed officials to investigate the crime. “How can a journalist be killed like this,” he told reporters in Patna.
Vimal Kumar Yadav, the 35-year-old victim, worked as a local journalist for the Dainik Jagaran newspaper, police said. The gunmen knocked on his door and called his name at around 5:30 am, and shot him when he opened the door, they said.
The local police station chief reached the spot at around 5:35 am and investigated the matter. The Superintendent of Police, Araria has also visited the spot. The dead body was sent for an autopsy, police said, adding that a forensics team and a dog squad are at the spot.
Preliminary investigations indicate an old enmity with his neighbours could be the cause of the incident, police said.
अररिया के रानीगंज थाना अंतर्गत दिo 18.08.23 को करीब 05ः30 बजे ग्राम-प्रेमनगर में विमल कुमार (35 वर्ष), सा0-प्रेमनगर को अज्ञात अपराधकर्मियों के द्वारा उनके दरवाजे पर जाकर आवाज देकर बुलाया गया और गोली मार दी गई, जिससे विमल यादव की मृत्यु हो गई।(1/3)#BiharPolice
— Bihar Police (@bihar_police) August 18, 2023
Two years ago, the victim’s brother, who was a sarpanch, was killed in the same way. Vimal Kumar Yadav was the main witness in the case, and it is suspected his murder might be linked to it. Mr Yadav testified against his brother’s killer during the ongoing court trial despite alleged threats.
“In the Raniganj Bazar area, a journalist namely Vimal Kumar Yadav was shot dead by unidentified crinimals…post-mortem is underway. The dog squad has been called to the murder spot…An investigation is on,” Ashok Kumar Singh, Superintendent of Police, Araria, said.
Further details are awaited.