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RTI activist, who took on illegal constructions, shot dead

[email protected] (Agencies)
October 17, 2016

Mumbai, Oct 17: A Right to Information (RTI) activist was shot dead at his house in Kalina on Saturday night. Bhupendra Vira (72), who was known for taking on illegal constructions in his area, was shot by an assailant on his temple between 9.30 p.m. and 10 p.m.

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“His wife was present in the house, but was in another room, while he was watching television. We have launched a manhunt for the accused. Motive of the murder is yet to be clear,” said Virendra Mishra, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Zone VIII.

Mr. Mishra said the police are inquiring whether Mr. Vira had filed an FIR or complaint against anyone or had complained to the police about any possible threat to his life. “A murder case has been registered against unknown persons, and a few people are being questioned. No arrests have been made as of now.”

According to sources, Mr. Vira was pursuing cases of illegal constructions against an ex-corporator, and had opposed the nexus of civic officials and politicians.

In a letter to State Information Commissioner Ratnakar Gaikwad on Sunday, former Chief Information Commissioner Shailesh Gandhi asked him to take immediate steps to stop violence against RTI activists.

“I request you to direct public authorities with whom Mr. Vira’s RTI applications are pending to immediately release all information which he had sought. He had been filing RTI applications seeking information from the BMC, SRA and the Lokayukta. Directions must also be given to the police to provide security to his family,” said the letter by Mr. Gandhi.

Mr. Vira was a member of the Voice of Kalina ALM, which takes up issues related to illegal constructions, land-grabbing and encroachments.

“We all are victims of land encroachments. He was deeply involved in this fight. He had even secured an order from the Lokayukta to demolish illegal constructions, but nothing happened as civic officials kept the issue pending,” said Clarence Pinto, member of the ALM, adding that the victim had filed several complaints at Vakola police station. Mr. Pinto said Mr. Vira had finally tasted success on Saturday morning as the authorities had issued notices of demolition. “We all are living in danger as land mafia may target us. We need to come together and we expect the Mumbai police to immediately arrest the culprit.”

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Agencies
February 26,2020

Kota, Feb 26: At least 24 people died and four others sustained injuries as a private bus carrying a wedding party fell into a river on Kota–Dausa highway in Bundi district on Wednesday morning, police said.

The wedding party with 28 persons on board was headed to Sawai Madhopur from Kota early morning when the driver apparently lost balance of the bus while traversing a bridge near Papdi village under Lekhari police station limits, Lakheri Sub-Inspector Rajendra Kumar said.

The bus, subsequently, plunged into Mej river from the bridge that had no wall or railing, Kumar said.

Thirteen people died on the spot while 10 others succumbed to their injuries on way to hospital, he added.

The deaths include 11 men, 10 women and three children.

The injured were rushed to Lekhari government hospital from where the critically injured are being referred to a government hospital in Kota, the SI further said.

Most of the injured people were rescued with the help of locals in the village, he added.

Mej river is a tributary of the Chambal river in Rajasthan.

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Agencies
July 2,2020

Tuticorin, Jul 2: The Crime Branch-Crime Investigation Department (CBCID) of Tamil Nadu police have arrested five policemen working in Sathankulam police station in Tuticorin district for the murder of P. Jeyaraj and his son J. Bennicks, officials said.

The CBCID also altered the first information report (FIR) registered on the death of Jeyaraj and Bennicks as a murder case from the earlier charge of suspicious death.

The five arrested policemen are: Inspector Sridhar, Sub-Inspectors Balakrishnan and Raghu Ganesh, Head Constable Murugan and Constable Muthuraj.

Ganesh was remanded to custody till July 16 on late Wednesday.

According to Inspector General CBCID Shankar, 12 teams have been formed to carry out the probe into the custodial death of father and son Jeyaraj and Bennicks.

Jeyaraj and Bennicks had been booked for not closing their mobile shop in time on June 19 by the Sathankulam police. They were sent to judicial custody and lodged in Kovilpatti jail on June 21.

Jeyaraj died on June 22 night and Bennicks on June 23 morning in judicial custody, allegedly due to the police torture.

The Madras High Court Bench in Madurai which took up the case suo moto had said there was prima facie evidence to register a murder case against the Sathankulam police officials.

The Kovilpatti Judicial Magistrate M.S. Bharathidasan who was asked to inquire into the case of brutal torture of AJeyaraj and his son Bennicks by the Sathankulam police on June 19 and their subsequent deaths had submitted is report to the High Court.

A woman police constable Revathy, at the Sathankulam police station, in her deposition before Bharathidasan had said that Jeyaraj and Bennicks were beaten with batons throughout the June 19 night.

According to Bharathidasan's report, Revathy also said the victims' blood stains were on the batons of the station police officials and on tables.

She said the batons and the tables should be secured so that the evidence is not lost, the report stated.

Expressing fear that she may be targeted later, Revathy was initially reluctant to sign a printout of her statement but later on being assured of her safety she signed the document.

The court also transferred the probe into the deaths of Jeyaraj and Bennicks to the Crime Branch Crime Investigation Department (CBCID) to gather and protect the evidence till the case is handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The High Court has initiated criminal contempt cases against three police officials - Additional Superintendent of Police Kumar, Deputy Superintendent of Police Prathapan and constable Maharajan - for their behaviour at the Sathankulam police station in front of Magistrate Bharathidasan.

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News Network
January 19,2020

Belagavi, Jan 19: Miscreants have murdered a couple and their son at Dodwad Village, about 50 km from here, in the wee hours on Sunday.

The victims were identified as Shvananda Basavanthappa Andanashetty, his wife Shanthavva and their son Vinod.

Senior Police officials visited the spot and a case was registered at Dodwad Police Station.

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