Journalist 'shot dead' outside his home in Bihar's Begusarai

A journalist in Bihar's Begusarai was "shot dead" on May 20 outside his home in Sakho village, the Wire reported today.

The journalist, Subhash Kumar Mahto, was 26 and reportedly worked for a local news channel and an app, and also as a stringer. He was returning home from a wedding when he was shot "at close range". Mahto was taken to a government health centre where he was declared dead.

The Wire reported that, according to Mahto's family and friends, "his extensive reporting" on the sand and liquor mafia "and his active support for a ward member candidate in the panchayat elections led to his murder".

Mahto had allegedly supported a candidate in the elections, and the candidate went on to win.

Hindustan reported a similar version of events, suggesting a connection between Mahto's murder and the panchayat elections and his reportage on the "sand mafia".

However, the police dismissed these claims, telling the Wire that a "verbal spat during the wedding celebrations" could be behind the murder.

"Some local women were dancing when a group of youth joined in and they allegedly started misbehaving with the women. Mahto opposed this, so there was a verbal spat," the Wire quoted the station house officer as saying. "This may be the reason behind his murder."

The officer also said four accused have allegedly been "identified".