RTI activist attacked, developers booked

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, January 23

The police have booked the proprietors of RK Construction Company for allegedly attacking and injuring an RTI activist, Keldeep Singh Khaira, here late last evening. Three unidentified persons have also been booked in the case.

Khaira was attacked by three unidentified persons at his shop in the Gill Road area. The incident was captured by CCTV cameras. Footage shows that three persons with faces covered barged into Khaira’s shop and attacked him with sticks and sharp weapons. Khaira suffered critical injuries and was admitted to Civil Hospital. The pictures of an injured Khaira were circulated on WhatsApp groups soon after the incident.

After recording the statement of Khaira and scanning CCTV footage, the police registered a case against three unidentified persons and the proprietors of RK Construction Company for attacking the RTI activist.

Khaira alleged that he was attacked by the henchmen of the proprietors against whom he had filed a complaint to the Vigilance Department. The MC had recommended an FIR in the case.

Khaira alleged the builder was constructing flats on agricultural land at Ishar Nagar which was illegal. He had written to the Chief Vigilance Officer about it last week. He also alleged involvement of MC officials in the case.

Following the complaint by Khaira, the MC recommended an FIR against Satwinder Singh, Vishal Dhawan, Parminder Singh and others. The MC stated that the building was being constructed illegally and the owners did not even obtain the fire safety certificate.

Khaira said the owners of the construction company also threatened him last Saturday but he ignored. 

Daba SHO Gurmeet Singh said they recorded the statement of the complainant and registered a case. The police are trying to trace the persons who attacked the RTI activist. The partners of RK Construction Company were also nominated in the case following the statement of the complainant.

A case has been registered against them under Section 452 (House trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint), 323 (Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 506 (Punishment for criminal intimidation), 295 A (Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs), 120-B (Criminal conspiracy). No arrest has been made so far.