RTI activists of Hazare outfit attacked in Maharashtra

Apr 18, 2011 |

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Three RTI activists belonging to Anna Hazare-led outfit against corruption were attacked allegedly by members of a political party, seriously injuring one.

The activists - Popat Pandurang Barge (37), Vishal Chandrakant Pawar (37) and Vishal Pandurang Barge (35) - were attacked with swords, sticks and steel rods by the assailants last night around 11 pm at Phaltan taluka here, police said on Monday.

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 (RTI) Act on an 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, according to the activists.

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 claimed that the assailants belonged to state's ruling coalition partner NCP, police did not confirm their identity, saying investigations are on.

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