Porbander: Assault on RTI activist - Hotel Owner Arrested

Daijiworld Media Network

Porbander, Jun 25: Four persons including a hotel owner were arrested following the assault of well-known lawyer and Right to Information Act (RTI) activist Bhagu Dewani (65) here, on Friday June 24.

Dewani was assaulted on his way to work by two unidentified persons after he had filed RTI applications seeking information on illegal constructions coming up in the city.

Seeking information to expose corruption has been an act fraught with danger since Gujarat has a history of such attacks on activists.

Jabbardan Gadhvi (45) of Rapar in Kutch had set himself ablaze in February after recieving constant threats from the Mamlatdar, Talati and the PSI. Gadhvi had sought information on irregularities in cattle grazing in the Rapar taluka of Kutch district.

Another RTI activist Amit Jetwa who was  campaigning against illegar mining in th GIr Sanctuary areas was shot dead  near the Gujarat High Court in Ahmedabad in July 2010.