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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Probe demanded into murder of RTI activist by Faizan Ahmad

Probe demanded into murder of RTI activist by Faizan Ahmad

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published Published on Dec 22, 2011   modified Modified on Dec 22, 2011

RTI activists and social workers are protesting the murder of a prominent RTI activist, Ram Vilas Singh, in Lakhisarai district last fortnight. They have demanded a high-level probe into the murder, which was very much apprehended, and arrest of the people who had been identified by Singh as threat to his life.

"Singh was murdered in broad daylight on December 8 at his village Babhangawan even though he had informed the police and State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) that he was facing threat to his life from some criminals and also some policemen," said Nagrik Adhikar Manch president Shiv Prakash Rai. The Manch held a protest dharna here demanding Rs 25 lakh as compensation to the kin of deceased and protection to whistle-blowers and social workers fighting against corruption and crime.

Singh is the first RTI activist in Bihar to be gunned down. Though RTI activists have been murdered elsewhere in the country, in Bihar no one was ever killed for seeking information.

The victim, belonging to Karyanand Nagar village in Lakhisarai district, had recently approached the SHRC regarding inaction of Lakhisarai police in arresting the 'most wanted' criminal Bambam Singh. In his letter to SHRC chairman on July 25, Singh had apprehended that he might be killed by the criminal or implicated in some false cases by the police. He had challenged the police claim that orders of attachment of the properties of Bambam Singh, an accused in two murders, was carried out.

When Singh failed to elicit positive response from SHRC, he used RTI Act to seek information about the action taken against the criminals as well as the details of the properties of the DSP, Lakhisarai. Ironically, the Lakhisarai SP wrote back to the State Information Commission demanding Rs 22,280 for providing information, to which the then information commissioner, P N Narayanan, on May 12 last observed that the demand was justified. Similarly, the Lakhisarai DSP refused to furnish details of his properties. The then information commissioner, Shakil Ahmad, on May 9 last observed that information regarding properties could not be sought under the RTI Act. Interestingly, the state government had already made it mandatory for all the government employees from chief secretary to clerk and DGP to sub-inspector of police to submit details of their properties.

RTI activists Krishnakant Dubey, Ramesh Kumar Choubey, Vikas Chand alias Guddu Baba and others alleged that Singh fell to the bullets of criminals due to inaction of the police and other authorities. "Since no action worth the name was taken against the criminals and the police, an active RTI activist was murdered. Had the authorities taken his apprehensions seriously, his life would have been saved," said Rai.


The Times of India, 22 December, 2011, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/Probe-demanded-into-murder-of-RTI-activist/articleshow/11201092.cms


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