Key Points:
Rajiv Pratap, a 36-year-old journalist from Uttarkashi, went missing on September 18, 2025
His body was recovered after 10 days from the Joshiyara barrage on September 28, 2025
An FIR under Section 140(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita was filed, citing threats and potential foul play due to his reporting on local hospital issues
A 36-year-old local journalist from Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, who had been missing since 11 p.m. on September 18, 2025, has been found dead. He reportedly went missing from the Gangotri area. The body of the deceased, Rajiv Pratap, was discovered in a lake in Uttarkashi on September 28, 2025.
After he went missing for two days, Pratap’s relative and uncle, Kripal Singh, registered an FIR with the Uttarkashi police station. The FIR was filed on September 20, 2025, under Section 140(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which deals with secretly kidnapping or abducting a person in order to hold them.
The body was recovered from the Joshiyara barrage on the Bhagirathi river by teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF).
When Kripal Singh noticed that Pratap was nowhere to be found, he filed a kidnapping report, as he suspected foul play. He shared that Pratap had received several threats for reporting on and exposing poor conditions at a local hospital.
See Also: MIB Orders Takedown of 138 Videos, 83 Posts Critical of Adani – Mentions Journalists, News Orgs
According to Singh, journalist Rajiv Pratap was traveling to Gangotri on September 18, 2025, in his friend Soban Singh’s vehicle. The vehicle, reportedly an Alto, was later recovered from the Bhagirathi river a day prior to the FIR being filed, on September 19, 2025.
In his complaint, Singh stated that Pratap had several enemies in his field, mainly due to his truthful reporting. The deceased, Rajiv Pratap, owned an independent YouTube channel named Delhi Uttarakhand Live. He also claimed that Pratap was coerced into removing a video that shed light on the lack of proper facilities and the unavailability of medicines at the Uttarkashi District Hospital. The video had been widely shared on social media platforms.
Authorities have stated that there were no visible signs of coercion on the victim’s body. However, the post-mortem report is still underway. Pratap’s family has indicated suspected foul play. Sarita Dobhal, Superintendent of Police, Uttarkashi, also affirmed that the deceased did not have any visible injuries on his body.
Pratap was an alumnus of IIMC and was praised for his dedication to highlight public issues and grievances. The district administration has stated that the investigation is ongoing to unearth the reason behind the untimely death of Rajiv Pratap. Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has expressed his grief over Pratap’s demise and has directed a probe into the matter.
[Rh/VS]
Suggested Reading:
