Photojournalist thrashed, held hostage in Ghaziabad

Just a few weeks after the murder of journalists in Bihar and Jharkhand, a photojournalist from a local newspaper was allegedly held hostage for hours and thrashed by an unknown assailant for clicking pictures of a pillar being erected for an elevated road at the Hindon river in Ghaziabad district, Uttar Pradesh, the police said on 19 May.

The incident occurred last Wednesday, when Abhinav Rajan Chaturvedi was clicking pictures of a pillar which was obstructing the river's water flow. A group of people suddenly reached the spot and snatched his camera and mobile and allegedly held him hostage for over two hours.

When he somehow freed himself from their clutches, and was escaping from the spot, they allegedly fired in air, the station house officer of Sihani Gate police station, Avneesh Gautam said.

Following the complaint, the police has arrested an employee, Sandip, of the private construction company which is building the elevated road. The owner of the company and other co-accused will be nabbed soon, Gautam added.