Foul play suspected in RTI activist’s death

“We suspect that some persons who may have been affected if the information under RTI was provided to him may be responsible for his death,” said Krishna district SP D Ramachandraiah. “We have started investigations,the post-mortem report is awaited,” he added.

The Andhra Pradesh State Information Commission has written to the District Magistrate and SP of Krishna District to conduct separate investigations and submit a report in the matter.

State Information Commissioner R Dileep Kumar said it was suspected that the Mandal Parishad Development Office’s Public Information Officer had a hand in leaking the details of Rao’s RTI plea. “We suspect the role of the PIO in leaking details to the person or persons who could have been affected if the information sought by Rao was made public. Rao’s parents said he was being threatened with dire consequences if he did not withdraw his RTI application,” Dileep Kumar said.

The MPDO and members of the Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituencies and Mandal Praja Parishad (MPP),on the other hand,alleged that Rao met with an accident while driving his scooter in an inebriated condition on the night of April 11. The MPP says Rao’s roadside eatery in the village was to be demolished to make way for the pipeline and his RTI applications were meant to stall the progress of work.

Betapudi Kumari,ZPTC member of Agiripalli,says Rao had encroached on government land to construct his eatery. “To lay the pipeline,the R&B department had issued him a notice that the eatery would be demolished. Rao went to court which ordered a stay. This happened two years ago and since then Rao has been trying to stall the work. His death appears to be an accident,” she says.

Venkat Rao,Sola Ranga Rao’s father,said his son had received several threatening calls. “On Sunday he was called by someone who said that he had information about those who were involved in siphoning off funds meant for village development. He went and never came back. Someone told us he met with an accident,” he said.