Times
of India: Rajkot: Monday, 04 January 2016.
Karsan Ala,
55, cousin of 32-year-old blind RTI activist Ratna Ala, was shot dead on the
outskirts of Rangpar village in Wankaner taluka of Morbi district late on
Saturday .Police suspect that Karsan was killed by the local mining mafia.
According to
Ratna, who is also deputy sarpanch of Rangpar, Karsan was shot at pointblank
range at around 9:30 pm by four people who are yet to be identified. Both
Karsan and Ratna are residents of the same village. Sources in the village said
Karsan had objected to mining on the village's gauchar land a few days ago.
Ratna believes that Karsan was killed because he had raised his voice against
mining.
"I have
written a number of times to the government at various levels about illegal
mining. But no action has been taken. Because of inaction against illegal
miners, I have lost a family member," Ratna told TOI. Ala has been
fighting graft in his village for the past four years. He was given the award,
instituted by TOI Ahmedabad, for the best use of RTI for common cause in 2009.
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