Scribe shot dead in Mumbai for exposing underworld crime

on
Jyoti Dey
Mumbai: Senior investigative journalist Jyotirmoy Dey was shot dead by motorcycle-borne assailants in Mumbai's central suburb of Powai on Saturday afternoon. According to police sources, Dey, who headed the special investigations team at the tabloid Mid-Day, was on his way back to his home in Powai after visiting his mother's residence in Amrut Nagar, Ghatkopar (east).



According to an eyewitness who was travelling in a four-wheeler near D-Mart in Powai, Dey was riding home on his motorbike when, at around 2.45pm, he was attacked. "There seemed to be four killers. Two were on a bike riding alongside him, while two followed him behind," he said.
According to the eyewitness, the four cornered Dey and hit his bike, which began to skid. "One of them then opened fire, while the victim tried to get away, moving towards the gate of Crisil House. The attackers followed him and pumped him with bullets. The bikers then fled, after which a tempo that was passing by rushed the victim to the hospital by 2.55 pm." But by then it was too late, and the doctors at Hiranandani hospital declared him dead by 3.15 pm. Though the ballistic and postmortem reports are awaited, the doctors said that there were nine entry and exit wounds near Dey's chest.
Police commissioner Arup Patnaik said that the four unidentified attackers were young and 20-25 years old. "One of them was wearing a blue wind-cheater."
According to the information we've received, Dey was returning from Ghatkopar and was on his way to his residence at Shiv Bhaktani Manor Building in Powai on his motorcycle," Patnaik said.
"As Dey was writing articles on the diesel smuggling racket, we are investigating whether the oil mafia could be behind the killing. His recent articles on oil mafia are being checked and we are investigating the case from all possible angles," said home minister RR Patil.
The police are also trying to get images of the CCTV cameras installed at D-Mart and at the nearby traffic signal. "We are examining whether the footages are clear," said a police the officer.