Sonepat village sarpanch guns down RTI applicant
Rohtak : The sarpanch of Pipli village in Sonepat district allegedly shot dead a 24-year-old man on Sunday night, reportedly over suspicion that he had sought details against him through an RTI application.
The deceased, identified as Ashish Dahiya, was killed when he along with his cousin were working out in a gym near his village.
This was the second attack by sarpanch Ram Nivas within last one month on persons he suspected to have filed the RTI application. Earlier on June 12, a 35-year-old man identified as Ramavtar Singh was shot at by the sarpanch, but he survived the attack and is currently undergoing treatment at PGIMS in Rohtak.
Dahiya’s cousin Akash said they both had been living in New Delhi’s Mukherjee Nagar to prepare for competitive exams after pursuing engineering. “Around two weeks ago, the sarpanch issued us a death threat on a phone call, following which we lodged a complaint with the Delhi Police,” Akash said, adding that their family members then asked them to return to the village.
“On Sunday evening, my brother and I had gone to a gym when sarpanch Ram Nivas along with his aides reached there and entered into an argument with us over the RTI application. He then opened fire at Ashish and managed to flee in a car with his associates,” Akash said.
The root of dispute
As per Akash, the dispute was over a property belonging to previously injured Ramavtar Singh. “Ramavtar had lodged a case against sarpanch after the latter illegally occupied some property owned by him. Another local youth Pradeep had also filed an RTI seeking the registration details of the property to help Ramavtar. We also lent our support to them, which did not go down well with the sarpanch,” Akash said, adding that Ram Nivas had then threatened to kill all the people who went against him.
The family has also alleged that they had approached the police seeking security cover for their sons after the death threat, but in vain. The family members have now expressed their worry stating that the sarpanch, if remained out of police net, could target Akash as well.
On contacting, Kharkhoda station house officer (SHO) Wazir Singh said they have registered a case of murder against the sarpanch, who continues to be at large.
However, when asked why did not they provide security to the cousin duo, he said the complaint of death threat was registered with the Delhi Police, not them.
Meanwhile, The concerned Delhi Police officials could not be contacted.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Nine of family killed as car falls into well in Nashik district
Nashik (PTI): Nine members of a family, including six children, were killed after their car fell into a well in Maharashtra's Nashik district, police said on Saturday.
The accident occurred in the Shivaji Nagar area of Dindori town around 10 pm on Friday, an official said.
The victims were heading home after attending a function at a banquet hall in the area when their car fell into a well near the venue, he said.
Personnel from the local police and emergency services arrived at the scene and retrieved the car and its occupants with the help of two cranes and swimmers around midnight.
The victims were members of the Dargude family from Indore village in Dindori taluka, the official said.
According to the police, the deceased were identified as Sunil Dattu Dargude (32), his wife Reshma, Asha Anil Dargude (32), and six children from the family, five girls in the age group of seven to 14 years and an 11-year-old boy.
Their bodies were brought to the government hospital in Dindori, the official said, adding that a case has been registered and a probe is underway to ascertain the cause of the accident.
