Amnesty seeks probe into journalist's death
New Delhi: Rights organisation Amnesty International India on Monday sought an independent probe into "mowing down" of a journalist in Madhya Pradesh and demanded the state government bring the guilty to book and send out a clear message that such attacks will not be tolerated.
Reacting to reports of Sandeep Sharma, a journalist investigating illegal sand mining, being mowed down by a truck in Bhind, Madhya Pradesh, Asmita Basu, Programmes Director, Amnesty International India said the killing illustrates the risks that human rights defenders in India face.
She noted that the journalist had sought police protection after doing two 'sting' operations.
"An independent and impartial probe must investigate this murder. Many brave journalists, activists and whistleblowers have been harassed, threatened and killed for exposing human rights abuses and corruption," she said.
Basu said that in many cases, lives could have been saved if authorities had acted on reports of threats and other abuses.
"Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan needs to bring those responsible to book and send a clear message that these attacks will not be tolerated," she said.
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UP: Over 100 monkeys die of toxic chemical, buried in pit to hide carnage
Hathras (UP), Nov 22: More than 100 monkeys perished after inhaling a pesticide sprayed in a food godown and were stealthily buried in a pit, police on Friday said.
The bodies were taken out for a postmortem by a team of veterinarians on Friday.
Circle Officer Yogendra Krishna Narayan said police came to know about the deaths on Wednesday.
Police have registered a case against the employees of Food Corporation of India and started an investigation.
According to police, the chemical in question was aluminium phosphide sprayed on wheat sacks to protect it from insects and rodents in an FCI warehouse on November 7.
A troop of monkeys entered the warehouse through a broken window of the godown on the night of November 7 and ended up inhaling the gas.
When the workers opened the warehouse on November 9, they saw several monkeys dead.
They allegedly chose not to inform their seniors about deaths and buried the bodies in a pit.
The CO said the bodies were exhumed when some Vishv Hindu Parishad leaders came to know about the incident.
As per police count, more than 100 monkeys were exhumed from the pit.
Their bodies were in late stage decay, the officer said.
