India TV's live encounter: Pintu Mishra's killing

India TV's telecast of 'live encounter' stunned other news channels. Pintoo Mishra was killed in broad daylight in Allahabad last year and the footage, either taken by the police force's own video-grapher or some sharp cameraman who was all the way behind the cops, saw TRP ratings soar for the India TV.

No doubt the footage was astonishing. Still, Rajat Sharma didn't grill the DGP Vikram Singh. Those who were questioning why the video tape was not revealed earlier, should be told that the manner in which cops chased and murdered a man in the broad daylight in Civil Lines of Allahabad, and not in Chambal ravines, the person in possession of the tape would think a hundred times before parting with it, as he could be implicated or killed by the same cops.

My Sting Vs Your Sting

The Aj Tak, Start TV and other channels showed the video the next day. And Janmat's recently launched channel 'Live India', in desperation, openly took the side of police. Meanwhile, Star came out with the exclusive video of Abu Salem's narco-analysis test.

This apparently drove Aajtak to show a third-grade sting 'Cocaine and Call Girls' linking prostition with drug-trafficking. It was a poorly made show with Deepak Sharma and Shams Tahir Khan, failing miserably to put it together. They showed a woman craving for cocaine and several blurred faces. The viewers were unsure whether it was a real show or some women actresses (the likes of whom are used to enact scenes for crime capsules) were given the script to read out the dialogues and prepare a 'sting drama' within the studio.