Nearly a year after RTI activist Amit Jethwa was bumped off opposite Gujarat high court in Ahmedabad, another activist was assaulted in Porbandar on Friday.
It seems RTI activists in the state are not safe. Nearly a year after RTI activist Amit Jethwa was bumped off opposite Gujarat high court in Ahmedabad, another activist was assaulted in Porbandar on Friday. And like in Jethwa’s case, a BJP leader is alleged to be behind the latest attack.
Bhagubhai Devani, an advocate and RTI activist, was stabbed with knife by some unidentified men around 9 am on Friday, when he came out from his car near his residence in Rajiv Nagar area of Porbandar. Devani has been fighting against illegal mining and construction in and around Porbandar and also filed a writ petition in Gujarat high court in this regard, police said, adding that the attack was believed to be a fallout of his protest. Devani believes that the builder mafia in the area is not happy with his RTI applications.
“I suspect BJP leader and former minister Babu Bokhiriya, builders Suresh Thanki and Vikram Odedara behind the attack,” Devani told DNA on phone from Bhavsinhji Hospital in Porbandar. Devani’s son, Sameer, told DNA that they had asked the police to make Bokhiriya as an accused.
“My father has filed RTI applications and is fighting a court case against the illegal construction at Chowpatty near Porbandar Airport,” Sameer said.
However, police sub inspector PR Ramani of Udhyognagar police station in Porbandar said that so far Bokhiriya’s name had not been included as an accused.
“During the course of investigation, we did not come across anything suggesting Bokhiriya’s involvement,” he said.
Around six to seven people attacked Devani, inflicting four wounds on him. Devani was rushed to the nearby private hospital. He was out of danger by Friday evening. Sources said Devani was actively campaigning against two buildings.
“One was under construction at Chowpatty in Porbandar and another at Chhaya on the outskirts of the city,” they said. Ramani said Devani had mentioned the names of two builders who are active in the area.
“We are checking the involvement of the people named by Devani,” he said.
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