Journalist shot dead in UP, family reveals he had received threatening calls

(Image: NDTV)

A tragic incident occurred on Saturday, March 8, 2025, when Raghvendra Bajpai, a 35-year-old journalist, was killed in a violent attack on the Sitapur-Delhi National Highway. According to police reports cited by NDTV, unidentified assailants on a motorcycle opened fire on Bajpai while he was riding his own bike, hitting him with multiple bullets.

The attackers fled the scene, leaving behind a community in shock and a family in mourning.

Police officials, as reported by NDTV, stated that the assault took place on an overbridge near the Hempur railway crossing, within the jurisdiction of the Imalia Sultanpur police station. Bajpai sustained three gunshot wounds—two in his shoulder and one in his chest. Local residents helped authorities transport him to a nearby hospital, but despite their efforts, doctors pronounced him dead upon arrival.

Bajpai’s family informed the media that he had been receiving threatening phone calls in the days leading up to the tragedy. These revelations complicate the investigation, raising questions about the motive behind this horrific act. Originally from Maholi in the Sitapur district, Bajpai leaves behind his wife and two young children, who now face an unimaginable loss.

The Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) for Sitapur, Praveen Ranjan Singh, shared details with NDTV, explaining that the assailants escaped on their motorcycle after the shooting. Authorities have since launched a thorough investigation, forming multiple teams to track down those responsible. “We are working diligently to uncover the circumstances of this case and bring the perpetrators to justice,” Singh stated in the report.

Bajpai was a regional reporter for a Hindi daily newspaper, a role he had dedicated himself to for nearly a decade. His work as a journalist often placed him at the center of local stories.