RTI activists attacked in Maharashtra

Three RTI activists were attacked allegedly by a members of a political party at Phaltan taluka, seriously injuring one.

The activists---Popat Pandurang Barge, 37, Vishal Chandrakant Pawar, 37, and Vishal Pandurang Barge, 35-- were attacked last night around 11 pm using swords, sticks and steel rods, police said.

The attack came after some members of Anna Hazare-led Bhrastachar Virodhi Jana Andolan (The People's Movement Against Corruption) sought information under the Right to Information Act on a illegal construction project here, according to the activists.

The trio was admitted to the Satara and Phaltan Civil Hospital after the incident. Barge, who heads the Phaltan unit of the BVJA, has been seriously injured in the attack.

The outfit members were initially threatened, hours before the attack to back out from the issue but were later targetted.

Cases have been registered against five persons--Firoj Attar, Yogesh Shinde, Pritam Bendre, Sachin Deshpande and Nilesh Kahnwilkar-- in connection with the attack, police said.

Though the injured activists claim that the assailants belong to state's ruling coalition partner NCP, police did not confirm it, saying investigations are on.