The Special Investigation Team probing the death of Uttarakhand journalist Rajiv Pratap has concluded that he died in a road accident caused by drunken driving, The Indian Express reported.

The 36-year-old journalist had gone missing on September 18. His damaged vehicle was recovered from the Bhagirathi riverbank on September 20, while his body was found near the Joshiyara barrage in state’s Uttarkashi district on September 28.

According to the probe team, Pratap met Head Constable Soban Singh and his former student and cameraman Manbir Kaluda near the Shaheed Smarak on the evening of September 18, PTI reported.

The three men drank alcohol near the taxi stand until about 10 pm. While Kaluda went home, Pratap and Singh went to a hotel near the bus stand and drank more alcohol, according to reports.

Security camera footage showed Pratap leaving the hotel unsteadily at about 11 pm, followed by Singh. Both entered Pratap’s car, but Singh got out shortly after. At 11.23 pm, Pratap was seen driving away alone, The Indian Express quoted the police as saying.

The car was last seen on security cameras at Gangori Bridge at 11.38 pm. It was found the next day downstream in the Bhagirathi River. A bag belonging to Singh was recovered about 600 metres from the bridge, near the spot from where the car presumably fell.

Strong currents from a water release at the Maneri dam likely pushed the vehicle downstream, the newspaper quoted the police as saying.

A technical inspection of the vehicle found that all four doors were locked, the windows were rolled up, and the ignition was on with the key still in place. The boot was open, which investigators believe was likely due to the impact.

The vehicle showed no signs of external tampering. A blue slipper was found inside, but no other significant items were recovered, The Indian Express reported.

The post-mortem examination stated that Pratap died from internal injuries to the chest and abdomen, consistent with impact from a steering wheel. Notably, no external injuries or signs of assault were reported.

However, Pratap’s family has expressed dissatisfaction with the probe, alleging that the police drew conclusions prematurely.

They have previously claimed that Pratap had been worried about the implications of reports that he had published on his YouTube channel Delhi Uttarakhand Live.

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