Journalist burnt alive: Some incidents are the 'rule of nature', says UP minister

Days after a cabinet minister in Uttar Pradesh was accused of orchestrating the murder of a journalist, another state minister today described the incident as law of nature.

"There are some incidents which are pre-decided. It is the law of the nature," Horticulture Minister Paras Nath Yadav said. The government also said it would not sack any of its ministers without probe.

"Some issues have come up. So, I want to tell you that no minister will be sacked without probe," Cabinet minister Shivpal Yadav told reporters when asked about minister Ram Murti Verma's alleged involvement in murder of the journalist in Shahjahanpur.

Jagendra Singh, who was allegedly set on fire by policemen on June 1 during a raid at his Awaas Vikas Colony house in Sadar Bazar, Shahjahanpur.

"We will not sack anyone as allegations were levelled earlier also but proved baseless after probe. Be it the Badaun case (alleged rape of Dalit sisters) or allegations against minister Raja Bhaiya (Raghuraj Pratap Singh)... all were proved wrong. Raja Bhaiya was given clean chit by CBI later," Yadav said.

When asked if any enquiry was held from the accused minister, Yadav said: "interrogation is going on... probe is on."

Singh's family had registered an FIR against minister Verma and five others including policemen at Puwayan police station of Shahjahanpur after he died during treatment at a hospital here on June 8.

The video footage of dying declaration which went viral on news channels and social media showed Jagendra Singh stating, "Why did they have to burn me? If the minister and his goons had a grudge, they could have beaten me instead of pouring kerosene and burning me."

A PIL has also been filed in the the Allahabad High Court seeking directions for CBI probe and strict action against erring persons in the scribe's murder case.