In a suspected revenge act by the Madhya Pradesh coal mafia, a senior journalist, his wife and two children were found brutally murdered at his residence in Umaria, 450 km off Bhopal, on Sunday.

The murder of freelance journalist Chandrika Rai (42), his wife Durga (40) and their two teenage children — son Jalaj (19) and daughter Nisha (17) has sent shockwaves across the state in general and among the journalistic circles in particular. The hand of the illegal coal mining mafia is suspected behind the cold blooded murders.

Rai is a well known freelancer who regularly writes to the Hindi daily Navbharat and English daily The Hitavada. For the past several months, he has been writing against the illegal coal mining in the region alleging the hand of local BJP leader in the coal mining scam.

he bodies were found in four separate rooms and police believe they were killed on Saturday.

Meanwhile, opposition leader in the Madhya Pradesh assembly Mr Ajay Singh of the Congress said local coal mafia has been terrified with the power of his pen and eliminated him permanently.

“The BJP government is protecting the coal mafia criminals who have no fear of the law and order in the state,” he told newsmen in Bhopal.

Police have constituted a special team to nab the killers. (JUBS)