The wife of a Uttarakhand journalist, who was found dead in a river in Uttarkashi under mysterious circumstances, has pleaded for justice, demanding a transparent probe into the death of her husband.
Seven-month pregnant Muskan, 20, said that she got married to Rajeev Pratap Singh just nine months ago, and the incident has ruined her life. “I am just 20, where will I go?” said the grieving wife of Singh, an independent journalist who ran a YouTube channel ‘Delhi Uttarakhand Live’.
He went missing on September 16, after which his wife filed a missing persons complaint. His car, a Maruti Alto, was pulled out of the river on September 19, but his body was likely swept away and recovered on Sunday, 10 days after he went missing, from the Joshiyara Barrage.
While police claimed he met with an accident, the journalist’s family alleged foul play. Reacting to the police claim, Muskan said, “I am not fully satisfied with how things have unfolded so far. Now that an SIT has been established for this case, I only want those responsible to be held accountable and punished severely.”
She has urged the government and the public to support her during this difficult time.
“I married in January, and only nine months have passed. I am now seven months pregnant. I want to tell the government that my husband deserves justice and that a thorough investigation is necessary. I humbly request that the government and the public support us during this challenging time,” she said.
Singh’s father, Murari Lal, has also demanded a proper investigation, saying many things are suspicious regarding what happened.
“Rajeev is gone. But I must say that a proper investigation should be conducted to determine whether what happened to him was merely a coincidence, an accident, or a cover-up. This should be investigated impartially, and the true facts should be revealed. If there was a conspiracy behind the accident, those responsible should be punished severely… Many things are suspicious regarding what happened to him,” he said.
The Uttarakhand government has formed an SIT to investigate Singh’s death.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has also reacted to his death and demanded an impartial investigation. He claimed that honest journalism is living under the shadow of fear and insecurity under the BJP rule.
“Those who write the truth, raise their voice for the public, and question the government are being sought to be silenced through threats and violence,” he said, adding, “The entire sequence of events that happened with Rajiv ji points towards such a conspiracy.”
“There should be an immediate, impartial, and transparent investigation into Rajiv ji’s death, and the victim’s family should receive justice without delay,” he added.