A journalist, who had carried out a sting operation on illicit sand mining and was allegedly facing threat to his life, has been mowed down by a truck in Bhind district of Madhya Pradesh.

Sandeep Sharma, who worked for a local news channel, had told the district administration he feared he could be killed by the sand mafia, according to his nephew Vikas Purohit, who filed police complaint of the incident.

The 35-year-old journalist was talking on his phone by the side of Ater Road in front of a police station when the truck, used to ferry sand, ran over him, the officials reportedly said

Purohit, in his complaint to the City Kotwali police, alleged that Sharma had been facing a threat to his life because of the recent sting operation he had carried out on the sand mafia, reported PTI.

“Sandeep had petitioned the Madhya Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP), Inspector General (IG), Superintendent of Police (SP) and the Human Rights Commission stating that he feared for his life and had demanded security,” Purohit was quoted as saying.

In his report to the top officials, Sharma had said because of the sting operation against the sand mafia and the Sub Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), the officer was transferred, Purohit reportedly claimed.

Sharma was to have recorded his statement against the SDPO and was being threatened by unidentified people, Purohit added

Bhind SP Prashant Khare reportedly said Sharma’s application to the authorities was being examined and the incident probed

The driver of the truck fled the scene after the accident, the police said

“We have formed a Special Investigation Team to probe the entire incident. A case under section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) has been registered,” Khare was quoted as saying.