Scribes on relay hunger strike for CBI enquiry on journalists murder

More than 50 Mumbai media persons joined hands today to launch a one-day relay hunger strike protesting the Maharashtra government’s refusal to hand over the probe relating to the murder of journalist Jyotirmoy Dey to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Dey, a Mid-Day journalist who used to report on the underworld, was shot dead by four unidentified motorcycle-borne assailants as he was riding his bike near his residence in Powai June 11.

Despite the heavy rains lashing the metropolitan city, journalists started arriving at the Mumbai Marathi Patrakar Sangh for the relay hunger strike. Following the protest march by over 500 journalists Monday, the state government assured to bring in a law to protect journalists, but refused to hand over the Dey killing probe to the CBI. Yesterday chief minister Ashok Chavan for the second time rejected journalists’ demand that the probe to be handed over to the federal investigative agency by stating that Mumbai Police have made headway into the case.

Report by Reuben