Gujarat RTI activist killed in Ahmedabad

Ahmedabad: Right to Information (RTI) activist Amit Jethwa was killed on Tuesday evening near the Gujarat High Court by unidentified men. Ahmedabad police official said that some unidentified men on a motorcycle fired at Jethwa killing him.

Jethwa was reportedly coming out of a building after meeting his lawyer and about to enter his vehicle when he was fired upon. Even though he was hit in the abdomen by the bullets, he tried to grapple with his assailants, who fled from after leaving behind their motorcycle.

Police inspector HM Kundaliya said Jethwa died on the spot after he was shot. "His body was being sent for postmortem and search for the assailants was on," Kundaliya said.

He had filed several petitions in the Gujarat High Court against the forest department and had also filed a a public interest litigation (PIL) on the illegal mining in the Gir forests of Junagadh district which is considered the last abode of Asiatic lions in the world.

Police say they are investigating the murder with an open mind.

"As yet, we are not aware of it but whatever comes out in the investigation.. We are checking all aspects,"says Satish Sharma, Joint Commissioner of Police, Ahmedabad

Jethwa was also the president of Gir Nature Youth Club.

(ibnlive)

Govt policies causing rise in extremism: SC

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has come down heavily on the government of India for its land acquisition policies saying that they have given rise to extremism in various parts of the country.

While delivering verdict on Tuesday in a case pertaining to acquisition of land by Mahanadi Coal Fields Ltd in Sundargarh district of Orissa in 1987, the apex court was critical of the government's land acquisition policies and held it partially responsible for the rise of extremism.

For the last 23 years, the Mahanadi Coal Fields Ltd. had not paid a single penny as compensation to the original land owners. The court also directed the Centre to compensate the affected parties in the case.

Before parting with the judgement, the court made a very pertinent observation saying that this was not just one case but in many land acquisition cases they have seen that the Government's land acquisition policies were faulty.

(ibnlive)