The 25-year-old reporter for Kampu Mail was shot multiple times in the Uttar Pradesh’s Unnao district while riding home and died from his injuries. Tripathi was covering controversial land mine disputes prior to his death and actively posted online and petitioned local authorities to stop a member of ‘land mafias’, from claiming large sections of government land.
He had received several online threats following his investigation into the illegal actions of the ‘land mafia’ and had expressed fears on his Facebook page that there would be harsh retaliation for his work.
Three suspects were arrested in connection of his killing and a police statement named one of the suspects as Divya Awasthi, who allegedly indirectly paid Ahmed and Bari to shoot Tripathi.