Uttar Pradesh: Photo journalist held hostage, thrashed

A photojournalist of a vernacular newspaper was allegedly held hostage and thrashed by some people while he was taking pictures of a pillar being erected for an elevated at Hindon river, police said on Thursday.

The incident happened on Wednesday, when photo journalist Abhinav Rajan Chaturvedi was taking photos of a pillar which was obstructing the water flow of the river, they said. A group of unruly persons reached there and snatched his camera and mobile and allegedly held him hostage for at least two hours, SHO, Sihani Gate police station Avneesh Gautam said.

When he somehow freed himself from their clutches, and was escaping from the spot, they allegedly fired in air, they said.

An employee, Sandip, of the private construction company which is building the elevated road, was arrested on Thursday, the officer said, adding that the owner of the company and other co-accused will be nabbed soon.