The body of senior journalist Rajiv Pratap, who had been missing since the night of September 18, was recovered from Joshiara Lake in Uttarkashi district on September 28. Pratap, aged 36, was last seen near a bus stop in Uttarkashi town the night he disappeared. His car was discovered submerged in the Bhagirathi river the next day, heightening fears and uncertainties around his disappearance.
Police and rescue teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) conducted intensive search operations over ten days before locating Pratap’s body at Joshiyara Barrage.
Authorities have sent the body for postmortem, and investigations are underway to clarify the circumstances of his death. The Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Pushkar Singh Dhami, expressed condolences and ordered a thorough and impartial probe into the incident.
Official Accounts and Ongoing Investigations
Superintendent of Police Sarita Dobhal shared that the body recovered showed no visible marks of injury, and preliminary evidence suggests an accident as the cause of death. CCTV footage from before the incident showed the journalist sitting alone in his car.
The vehicle was found badly damaged in the swollen Bhagirathi River near Gangori, and a slipper found inside the car during its retrieval added to the mystery. Police officials, including Deputy Superintendent Janak Singh Panwar and SDRF Commandant Arpan Yaduvanshi, have committed to exploring all possibilities, including accident or foul play, pending postmortem findings.
The police have also registered a case invoking kidnapping and abduction charges following the family’s complaint.
Family Concerns and Allegations of Foul Play
Pratap’s family, strongly suspecting foul play, has alleged that he was abducted and murdered, not a victim of an accident. His wife, Muskan, mentioned that Rajiv had recently uploaded investigative reports exposing poor conditions at the district hospital and local schools in Uttarkashi through his digital channel, Delhi Uttarakhand Live.
She reported receiving threatening messages and calls warning him to remove these videos. The last conversation with him occurred around 11 pm on the night he disappeared, after which his phone went unreachable.
The family lodged a missing person report soon after and appealed for an urgent and transparent investigation. Journalists’ associations and alumni bodies from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), where Pratap graduated, have demanded justice and reassurances for journalists’ safety.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
The tragic demise of Rajiv Pratap casts a harsh light on the perilous conditions often faced by journalists who bravely investigate and report on sensitive issues. It is critical that investigations into his death are conducted with full transparency and speed to ensure justice is served.
Moreover, society as a whole must recognise the indispensable role of journalists in sustaining democracy by holding institutions accountable. Protecting journalists from threats, intimidation, or violence is not just a matter of law and order but a crucial endeavour for a free and fair society.
The Logical Indian calls on communities, authorities, and media organisations to implement robust safety mechanisms and cultivate an environment where truth-tellers can operate without fear.
