Post News Network
Kendrapara, Feb 9: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sought an Action Taken Report (ATR) from Director General of Police (DGP) on the death of rights activists Krupasindhu Sahu and Ganesh Panda in the state.
The NHRC passed the order Monday on the petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer and rights activist Radhakanta Tripathy.
The petitioner pointed out, seeking information about the money and fertiliser utilised in the plantation of paddy saplings has cost the life to Krupasindhu Sahu, a farmer whose body was found buried under a bridge near a village in Cuttack district January 31.
Krupasindhu Sahu (40), a farmer of Nachhigan village of Krushnaprasad panchayat under Niali police station in Cuttack district, had sought information from the district agriculture officer (DEO) about the details of amount of money and fertilizer utilised in the plantation of paddy saplings through Right to Information (RTI) Act.
Soon after this, he received threatening calls from some of the villagers over his phone which he later informed to his family members.
January 26, Krupasindhu had gone to a nearby market in the evening on his bike. But as he did not return to his house till late in the night, his family members tried to contact him through his mobile phone which was switched off.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the accused, after strangulating Krupasindhu January 26, had buried the body under the tree.
Similarly, Ganesh, an RTI activist of Randha village in Ganjam district was killed December 29, 2014.
His family members alleged the
miscreants targeted Ganesh as he protested against substandard quality material being used for construction of village roads.
Three persons of the village, who are contractors, targeted him, the family
alleged. Ganesh had sought information from Rangeilunda block office under RTI Act on the total allocation and
expenditure for the works, the petitioner contended.
Failure of the government in ensuring safety and security to rights activists amounts to severe human rights violation, Radhakanta said in his petition.
The NHRC has sought the ATR from the DGP within four weeks.
