Lucknow, Jan 27 (IANS): A 20-year-old son of a local journalist in Uttar Pradesh's Pratapgarh district was bludgeoned to death with an iron rod by unidentified men, police said.

Vishal Pandey is the son of journalist Umesh Pandey who works with a Hindi newspaper.

The victim, a resident of Ror village, was allegedly hit by a car and then beaten to death with an iron rod under "suspicious circumstances" in Atarsui Badli ka Purwa village, about 50 km from the district headquarters.

Police suspect an old animosity between the accused and the victim's father as the motive behind the gruesome murder.

A senior police official said that the victim's family filed a complaint and a case has been registered against seven people, including the former village head, Rang Bahadur.

He said that Superintendent of Police Satpal Antil has suspended the station in-charge, Avan Dixit for laxity in duty.

The victim's body has been sent for post-mortem and further investigation is going on, he added.