Fresh allegations have surfaced of a journalist pressuring the family of Raman Kashyap into admitting that he was killed by farmers.
This comes despite multiple statements made by Pawan Kashyap, younger brother of the slain journalist, claiming that the nature of injuries on his brother's body suggest he was mowed down and not beaten to death.
Raman had left for the spot on Sunday morning to cover the visit of Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Maurya in the area. His younger brother Pawan Kashyap alleged that Raman was mowed down in the incident and most likely suffered a bullet injury too.
'Can't Claim With Certainty That Hole in Raman's Body Looks Like Gunshot Injury'
When The Quint visited Raman Kashyap's house in Nighasan area in Lakhimpur Kheri district, his brother Pawan, visibly miffed, complained of a journalist of a prominent news channel getting into an argument. The journalist allegedly left the Kashyaps' home on a threatening note.
"One journalist came and said the autopsy report states he died of injuries from being beaten with sticks. I ended up getting into an argument with him. He said had I not been the journalist’s brother, he would not have spoken with this civility and is good at picking fights."Pawan Kashyap said.
Speaking about the nature of injuries on Raman's body, Pawan said he saw his brother's body after taking off his clothes and there were no signs of him being beaten up by sticks. He had rub marks all over his body. There is a hole on his hand, though I can't claim it with utmost certainty that it looks like a gunshot injury," Pawan said.
Post-Mortem Report Has No Mention of Gunshot Wound
Kashyap's family received the post-mortem report on Wednesday. It does not make any mention of a gunshot wound as claimed by the family.
There has been a growing controversy over the post-mortem reports of the victims with their family claiming to have seen a clear gunshot wound but the post-mortem report fails to acknowledge it.
The family of Gurvinder Singh, the farmer from Nanpara in Bahraich who died in the violence, had also claimed a bullet shot wound. However, the autopsy has ruled it out.
Holding the cremation, the family had demanded an autopsy to which the government conceded. A team of doctors was flown to Bahraich in a chopper to conduct the second autopsy, which again ruled out the presence of bullet wound.
(With inputs from TOI.)
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