Crime increasing every day in UP, now media personnel being targeted: Mayawati

Claiming that the law and order situation in the state is deteriorating, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Tuesday said that a situation has arrived when the fourth pillar of democracy and media personnel are being targeted.

The remark comes merely a day after a journalist named Ratan Singh was allegedly shot dead in Phephna village of Ballia district on Monday evening.

"In the state of Uttar Pradesh, crime rate is increasing every day. Now, the situation has arrived when the fourth pillar of democracy, and our media personnel are being targetted. It shows that the law and order situation in the state is miserable," Mayawati told ANI here.

According to the police, three prime accused have been arrested in connection with the killing of the journalist who was allegedly shot dead over some old dispute.

"In Ballia, a journalist named Ratan Singh was killed. Three prime accused arrested from the spot. Search for other accused is underway. Although the deceased was a journalist the incident does not involve anything related to journalism. It is completely about the land dispute between the two parties," DIG Azamgarh Subhash Chandra Dubey had said.

Speaking about the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) and the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) exams scheduled to be held in September, Mayawati urged authorities to take all precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 among the students during the exams.

"I would like to tell the lakhs of students appearing for NEET and JEE to put in their best efforts and prepare well for exams. Also, I would like to ask the concerned authorities to take all precautions and ensure safe conduct of exams amid COVID-19 pandemic," she said.

(ANI)

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