Uttarakhand: Senior journalist dies in Dehradun, murder case registered, two accused arrested, family meets with Chief Minister
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Police have registered a murder case in the death of senior journalist Pankaj Mishra in Dehradun, the state capital. The case was registered at the Rajpur police station based on a complaint filed by the deceased’s younger brother, Arvind Mishra. Pankaj Mishra’s post-mortem was conducted on Tuesday, but at the request of his family, a second post-mortem was performed on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the police have arrested the accused, Amit Sehgal, and his accomplices after a lengthy interrogation.
According to the complaint filed by the deceased’s younger brother, Arvind Mishra, his elder brother Pankaj Mishra lived with his wife Lakshmi in their house in Doon Vihar, Jakhan. On the night of December 15, at around 10 PM, a man named Amit Sehgal, along with some other people, came to Pankaj Mishra’s house and started verbally abusing him before physically assaulting him with the intention of killing him.
Allegations of assault inside the house: It is alleged that Amit Sehgal started kicking and punching Pankaj Mishra in the chest and stomach, causing blood to come out of his mouth. One of the men with Amit Sehgal said that Pankaj Mishra was a heart and liver patient, and that they should hit him in the stomach and chest. Amit Sehgal then said that this would be enough to kill him. After the assault, Pankaj Mishra’s mobile phone was snatched away.
Wife Lakshmi’s phone also snatched: It is alleged that when Pankaj’s wife tried to inform the police using her mobile phone, Amit Sehgal and his accomplices snatched her phone as well, misbehaved with her, and then fled the scene. Pankaj Mishra then informed the police about the incident using a passerby’s phone.
Death before reaching the hospital: According to Arvind Mishra’s complaint, the police arrived at the scene and asked about medical treatment and filing a complaint, but his brother Pankaj Mishra and sister-in-law Lakshmi said that due to their injuries and fear, they would prefer to take action in the morning rather than at night. At around 3 AM on December 16, Pankaj Mishra, groaning in pain, called out to his wife, saying he was in pain. When his wife Lakshmi woke up, Pankaj had already gotten out of bed and collapsed to the ground, unconscious. Afterward, the neighbors were alerted, and they informed the family members using their phones. An ambulance then took him to Doon Hospital, where doctors declared Pankaj dead.
Post-mortem being conducted again: The deceased Pankaj Mishra’s brother, Arvind Mishra, stated that he arrived in Dehradun from Mumbai. Upon arrival, he met with SSP Ajay Singh and appealed for a second post-mortem examination, which is now being conducted.
Arvind Mishra alleges that he suspects the accused, Amit Sehgal, may have tampered with the initial post-mortem report. He claims that Amit Sehgal has a history of blackmailing doctors, and therefore, he fears the report may have been manipulated.
Meanwhile, SP City Pramod Kumar stated that after Pankaj Mishra’s death, his brother, who had returned from Mumbai, filed a complaint with the Rajpur police station in Dehradun late at night. Based on this complaint, the Rajpur police registered a case against the accused Amit Sehgal and his associates under sections 103, 304, 333, and 352 of the BNS (Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita) and began an investigation. The police are investigating every aspect of the case.
Later in the evening, based on the statements of the victim’s family, the deceased’s wife, the landlord, and other witnesses, and after the investigation team inspected the crime scene and collected physical evidence, Amit Sehgal and his associate Parthosheel were arrested after questioning.
SSP Ajay Singh stated that action has been taken based on the evidence and statements received so far. The Cyber Cell, SOG, and forensic team have also been deployed for a thorough investigation. All aspects of the case are being investigated.
The wife of the deceased senior journalist Pankaj Mishra, Lakshmi Mishra, and his brother Arvind Mishra met with Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. During the meeting, they informed the Chief Minister about the events related to the journalist’s death. Family members met with the Chief Minister.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed his deep condolences, stating that the state government stands firmly with the bereaved family during this time of grief. He assured the family of all possible support and said that legal action would be taken in this matter and that no negligence would be tolerated at any level. The Chief Minister prayed to God to grant peace to the departed soul and to give the grieving family the strength to bear this immense sorrow.
