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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
May 14,2020

Six migrant workers have been killed and five others seriously injured when a speeding bus ran over them on the Delhi-Saharanpur Highway near in Muzaffarnagar, officials said on Thursday.

The accused driver, who was suspected to be under the influence of alcohol, has been arrested, said SSP Abhishek Yadav.

The workers were going on foot to their homes in Bihar from Haryana when they were hit on the Delhi-Saharanpur Highway between Ghalili Check Post and Rohana Toll Plaza, about 20 km from here late last night, the official said.

The injured -- Sushil, Nathu Saini, Pawan Saini, Pramod and Ramji Rai --were rushed to hospital.

Two of the deceased were identified as Bijender, 25, and Harsh, 20. The rest were yet to be identified.

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Agencies
May 19,2020

Yavatmal, May 19: Four migrant workers were killed and 15 others were injured after a bus they were travelling in crashed into a truck in Yavatmal on Tuesday morning.

The bus was travelling from Solapur to Jharkhand. More details are currently awaited.

This comes amid nationwide COVID-19 lockdown has been extended to May 31, albeit with some relaxations.

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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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