RTI activist attacked in Gujarat, critical

Ahmedabad: A 39-year-old Right to Information (RTI) activist is fighting for his life in Rajkot city of Gujarat following an acid attack on him, police said Tuesday.

Jaysukh Bambhaniya, a tribal from the union territory Diu's Dangarwadi area, had filed an RTI application in nearby Una municipality of Gujarat some time ago.

"Last night, he was on his way home, when a group of people attacked him with weapons and threw acid on him. Jaysukh was lucky since a police van happened to pass that way around the time he was being attacked and the miscreants fled. His condition is critical and he has been shifted to a hospital in Rajkot," sub-inspector B.H. Jadeja of Una police station said.

The police have no clue about the information he had sought through his RTI plea.

"In statement to the police, he has alleged that Shamji Solanki, vice president of Una municipality, was responsible for the attack," Jadeja added.

Rights activists in the state have condemned the attack.

"We condemn the attacks on RTI activists. The death of Bhopal's RTI activist Shehla Masood was very painful for us. RTI activists should not fight alone. They should seek help from other activists. Whatever information he/she receives, they should share it with others also," said Bharatshin Jhala, an RTI activist.

An RTI activist was killed outside the Gujarat High Court in Ahmedabad last year after he sought to expose the mining mafia. Bhagu Devani, a Porbandar RTI activist, was also attacked recently.

 

Home | Top of the Page

Top Stories

Saif Gaddafi appears in public, says Tripoli well under their control

Saif al-Islam, son of Muammar Gaddafi, who was reported to have been captured by Libyan opposition   »

Gaddafi's elder son Mohammad escapes from rebels

Libyan rebels capture Tripoli, Gaddafi's son detained

Tripoli falls: Saif Gaddafi arrested; brother Mohammad surrenders

  Most Read

Anna stand-off: Government to convene all-party meet

The government has called an all-party meeting Wednesday to discuss and evolve a wider consensus on Anna   »

Anti-Anna groups surface in virtual world

West Bengal Shahi Imam slams Hazare's campaign

Anna Hazare is a "fake Gandhi", a top Muslim cleric of West Bengal said Tuesday while slamming the activist's demand for a stronger anti-corruption bill. "Why Anna Hazare was mum when Gujarat  »

Cleric says Muslims bigger victims of corruption; declares support for Anna

  News Pick

Probe all Kashmir killings since 1989: Omar

A day after the Jammu and Kashmir rights panel revealed the presence of over 2,000 unmarked graves in the state, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Monday  »

At least 14 cases of dengue were detected in Karachi, already battered by a wave of violence, and the authorities are now worried over its outbreak. The cases that have been detected over the past two weeks bring the   »

Gates of human divide at Ramlila ground

Segregation of humanity begins at the very gates of Ramlila Maidan -- the site of Anna Hazare's crusade against corruption. Five gates divide    »

Caps, face painting, drums... Anna carnival is on

Kerala set for country's biggest Ramadan gathering Friday

More than six lakh people are expected Friday at the largest Muslim prayer congregation at Swalath Nagar, near Malappuram, which is ready to host the annual Ramadan month event for the 25th time. This mammoth   »

Picture of the Day

Anna mocks Congress charge of RSS, BJP support. But in Malegaon, BJP is using hoardings to garner support for Hazare. Also, there are good number of BJP workers and hardcore RSS activists in the rallies called to support Hazare.

(Photo: ummid.com)