The Times of India: Mumbai: Monday, February 27, 2012.
The killers of the RTI activist from Virar, Premkant Jha, could be professional shooters who carried out the job, without attracting public attention, the police said. They have detained two suspects but are yet to make a breakthrough.
Jha, who worked for an anti-corruption organization, had filed RTI queries, seeking details of several construction projects in Vasai-Virar, which allegedly had largescale irregularities. Jha never made his findings public, but the data collected allegedly revealed the wrongdoings of several builders, politicians and government officials who were reportedly upset with him. RTI activists told TOI that it was the very act of not putting the findings in public domain that cost Jha his life. "The best way RTI activists can be safe is to make their data public. Then, the person/people who have been exposed will be cautious before thinking of harming the activist," said activist Krishnaraj Rao.
Jha's family also told the police that he had been receiving threat calls but did not lodge a complaint. They said they were aware of Jha's fight against the land mafia but had never discussed the cases.
On Friday, the watchman of Jha's building spotted him lying unconscious in front of the building. The guard alerted Jha's family who admitted him to hospital where he died. An autopsy showed that a bullet had pierced his forehead.
Echoing Rao, another RTI activist, Kamlakar Shenoy, also said any information collected through the RTI Act should be published so that no one could doubt that the activist himself would use the data for personal gains.
Jha, who worked for an anti-corruption organization, had filed RTI queries, seeking details of several construction projects in Vasai-Virar, which allegedly had largescale irregularities. Jha never made his findings public, but the data collected allegedly revealed the wrongdoings of several builders, politicians and government officials who were reportedly upset with him. RTI activists told TOI that it was the very act of not putting the findings in public domain that cost Jha his life. "The best way RTI activists can be safe is to make their data public. Then, the person/people who have been exposed will be cautious before thinking of harming the activist," said activist Krishnaraj Rao.
Jha's family also told the police that he had been receiving threat calls but did not lodge a complaint. They said they were aware of Jha's fight against the land mafia but had never discussed the cases.
On Friday, the watchman of Jha's building spotted him lying unconscious in front of the building. The guard alerted Jha's family who admitted him to hospital where he died. An autopsy showed that a bullet had pierced his forehead.
Echoing Rao, another RTI activist, Kamlakar Shenoy, also said any information collected through the RTI Act should be published so that no one could doubt that the activist himself would use the data for personal gains.
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