The Gaya police is now investigating to identify the names of TV crew members who allegedly egged on private transporter Manoj Mishra, 30, to set himself on fire. This, after an FIR was lodged against the “unknown” news channel members.

Police sources said that they would soon get Mishra’s phone records to ascertain the people he talked to. Mishra set himself on fire on the premises of the state-owned Sudha dairy on the morning of August 15. He died while being taken to a hospital.

It has been alleged that he took the step after consultation with some local TV channel reporters who aided and abetted the suicide so that they could capture live images of him. The FIR had been lodged based on the statement of a private security guard. The guard, on duty at the dairy, had rushed to save Mishra, according to the police.

“So far the FIR is against unknown TV channel members for aiding and abetting the suicide. We have all kinds of reports about the role being played by the news channel members. Once it is verified and we have sufficient evidence then we will nail the culprits,” Gaya SP Amit Kumar Jain told The Indian Express.

Kumar said that the TV channel members had been aware of Mishra's plan but made no attempts to save him. He said that they ran away before the police reached the spot and rushed Mishra to hospital.

“We have reports that after aiding him to set himself ablaze they were even directing his movements so that they could get the best camera angle. But all these reports need to be verified before we go into the specifics,” the SP said.

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