UP journalist allegedly attacked in Ayodhya for reports on BJP MLA

On June 29, journalist Pateshwari Singh was attacked by a group of men in Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya.

Singh is the bureau chief of newspaper Bharat Kanak and the Ayodhya correspondent for Jan Sandesh Times. In a video released by a journalist on Twitter, Singh alleged that the attack happened because he had published news reports that were critical of BJP MLA Khabbu Tiwari and one Vikas Singh Deogarh.

In the video, Singh also claimed that a "fake case" had been registered against him. "This is revenge," he said.

"I saw they [the attackers] were in a black Safari," he said in the video. "Initially, I was suspicious but I still went ahead. Just when I had traveled around 100 metres, the Safari hit my bike and I fell...Around six men came from behind and starting hitting me with a rod."

In a video statement, Ayodhya superintendent of police Vijay Pal Singh said the journalist had been attacked while on his way from Tatarganj to JB Nagar colony. The SP said Singh was attacked by a "group of men" resulting in a "serious injury".

A case has been registered at Kotwali police station, the SP added, and a search is on for the attackers and the Safari.

Update: Khabbu Tiwari is a BJP MLA but Vikas Singh Deogarh is not. The headline has been updated to reflect this.