Pilibhit: A local journalist and his wife posted a video on social media on Thursday, accusing a sub-divisional magistrate, a nagar panchayat chairman, and a contractor of harassment before consuming poison on camera, police said.
According to officers from Barkheda police station, Israr alleged in the video that persistent harassment by Bisalpur sub-divisional magistrate Nagendra Pandey, Barkheda nagar panchayat chairman Shyam Bihari Bhojwal, and contractor Moin Hussain drove them to take the extreme step.
The couple was rushed to the district hospital, where Israr is reported to be out of danger, while his wife remains in critical condition, an officer stated.
In the purported video, Israr alleged that he had recently published a news report on suspected corruption in the Barkheda nagar panchayat, which he claimed had drawn the attention of the Chief Minister's Office.
Following this, he stated that he began facing harassment, alleging that Hussain, Bhojwal, and Pandey repeatedly threatened his family and falsely implicated them in a case.
"We are drinking poison and ending our lives. Yogi ji, we need justice," Israr said in the video.
Responding to the viral video, sub-divisional magistrate Pandey told the media that he has directed the Barkheda Station House Officer to investigate the matter.
He dismissed the allegations as "baseless" and claimed "there is no such issue". Bisalpur Circle Officer Prateek Dahiya told reporters that the police are conducting a thorough investigation from all angles.
Meanwhile, Bhojwal, in his statement to the press, said that he has no involvement in the incident.
"I have come to know about the incident, but I have nothing to do with it. There may have been some dispute with the contractor," he said.
Contractor Hussain defended himself, alleging that Israr had visited one of his construction sites on May 18, demanded Rs 15,000, and threatened to publish a negative news report if his request was denied.
Hussain further claimed that Israr used abusive language and issued death threats. He stated that following the incident, he had filed a complaint with the police.
Meanwhile, the couple's family members alleged that Israr and his wife were subjected to ongoing harassment. They accused Pandey, Bhojwal, and Hussain of issuing threats and falsely implicating them in cases, while also claiming police complicity in the matter.
The family has demanded that a case be registered against the three individuals named in the video.
(inputs from PTI)