Main Suspects In Journalist Raghvendra Bajpayi Killed In Gun Battle With UP STF In Sitapur

Sitapur, August 7 (TNA) The Special Task Force (STF) of the UP Police gunned down two hardened criminals, accused of killing a journalist, Raghvendra Bajpayi, six months back. The STF team was assisted by the local police. The encounter took place late at night in the Pisawa area.

Sitapur SP Ankur Agarwal informed that the STF and police had received intelligence inputs about the shooters’ movements and set up a checking point. When the two suspects, riding a motorcycle, approached the checkpoint, officers attempted to stop them. The suspects opened fire on the team, prompting retaliatory gunfire. Both were struck and subsequently taken to the district hospital, where doctors declared them dead.

The slain assailants were identified as siblings Raju alias Rizwan and Sanjay alias Aqeel Khan, residents of Atwa village in the Misrikh police station area. Their mother is Hindu and their father is Muslim. Both carried a bounty of ₹1 lakh each and had been on the run since March 8, when they ambushed and fatally shot journalist Raghavendra on a highway, an incident that made headlines across the state.

Investigations revealed that the murder was orchestrated by Shivananand Baba alias Vikas Rathore, a priest at the Kaaredev Baba temple. The plot allegedly stemmed from fears that Bajpeyee might expose the priest after seeing him in a compromising situation within the temple premises. In response, the priest is said to have hired the two shooters, who carried out the killing in broad daylight.

Police have so far arrested three individuals, including mastermind Shivananand Baba, in connection with the conspiracy.