Rajeev Pratap Singh
Journalist Found Dead in River; Probe Demanded
Geneva/New Delhi: The death of Uttarakhand-based journalist Rajeev Pratap Singh, whose body was found in the Joshiyara barrage on the Bhagirathi river on September 28, has triggered calls for a transparent probe amid allegations of foul play from his family.
The 36-year-old journalist, who ran the digital news platform Delhi Uttarakhand Live, went missing on September 18, 2025. His damaged car was recovered a day later from the Bhagirathi river near Gangori. While police have said that preliminary evidence suggests his vehicle “fell into a gorge and into the river,” they added that the postmortem report is awaited to ascertain the exact cause of death. Investigators noted the absence of visible external injuries on the body and cited CCTV footage showing him alone shortly before the incident.
However, Rajeev’s family has rejected the accident theory, alleging that he had received repeated threats linked to his reporting. His wife has publicly claimed that he was abducted and could not have simply “fallen off the road.” Rajeev’s YouTube channel primarily covered local issues and developments across Uttarakhand.
In Geneva, the Press Emblem Campaign (PEC), a global media safety and rights body, urged Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami to take personal interest in the case and ensure a credible, independent investigation. “We demand an authentic probe to identify the probable culprits involved with the incident that caused the death of Rajeev Pratap Singh and punish them under the law,” said PEC president Blaise Lempen.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has also echoed concerns, warning that attributing the case prematurely to an accident would ignore threats faced by the reporter.
This incident comes against the backdrop of increasing attacks on journalists in South Asia. According to PEC’s South and Southeast Asia representative Nava Thakuria, 136 media workers have been killed worldwide so far this year, including at least five in India and four in Bangladesh. Earlier this month, PEC also condemned violence against media persons during Nepal’s September unrest, which left more than 70 people dead and several journalists injured.
Rajeev’s death has now added to the mounting concern over press safety in India, where watchdogs say reporters working on local issues often face intimidation, threats, and violence.
– global bihari bureau
