Dehradun Journalist Pankaj Mishra Dies: FIR Filed Against Colleague After Assault; Facebook Post Sparks Dispute

The case of journalist Pankaj Mishra’s death in Uttarakhand has taken a new turn. An FIR has been registered against his colleague, Amit Sehgal, on charges of assault. Following dissatisfaction with the initial post-mortem report, a second post-mortem is being conducted today by a panel of doctors.

According to the complaint filed by the deceased journalist’s brother, Arvind Mishra of Alambagh, Lucknow, the Dehradun police registered a case under IPC Sections 103, 304, 333, and 352 against Amit Sehgal.

Alleged Brutal Assault:
Arvind Mishra alleges that on the night of December 15, Amit Sehgal, along with another individual, went to Pankaj Mishra’s rented residence in the Jakhan area of Dehradun. There, they allegedly assaulted Pankaj with the intent to kill, striking him on the chest and abdomen, causing him to bleed from the mouth. During the assault, Amit Sehgal is also accused of seizing Pankaj’s mobile phone.

On the morning of December 16, Pankaj Mishra’s condition worsened, and he lost consciousness. He was rushed to a hospital where he was declared dead. Unsatisfied with the initial post-mortem, the family requested a second post-mortem, which has been approved.

Investigation Underway:
The Dehradun police have inspected the deceased’s residence and are pressing for the arrest of the accused.

Dispute Over Facebook Post:
The conflict reportedly began over a Facebook post. An argument and subsequent physical confrontation occurred between Pankaj Mishra and his colleagues regarding the post. Pankaj later apologized and deleted the post, clarifying that he had not personally posted it; rather, it was posted from his account by someone else using his mobile.

Pankaj Mishra’s wife stated that he had attended a wedding ceremony hosted by Amit Sehgal five days earlier. She has held the accused journalist and his associates responsible for her husband’s death.