Wildlife Activist Amit Jethva murdered near Gujarat High Court
Dear All,
Sharing a shocking news with you all. Amit Jethva - a wildlife activist who was exposing the work of mining mafia along the periphery of Gir has been murdered. This news had appeared in the Ahmedabad Mirror. Reproducing it below.
Sabyasachi
Wildlife activist shot dead near HC
Two men came on a bike and shot four rounds from a .12 bore revolver at Amit Jethava when he was getting into his car on Tuesday night; Jethva had raised the issue of illegal mining near the Gir lion sanctuary
By Ahmedabad Mirror Bureau
Posted On Wednesday, July 21, 2010 at 03:01:40 AM
Police and forensic officials look for clues at the spot where Jethva was shot. The assailants abandoned their motorcycle
A wildlife activist and crusader, who had started a campaign against the mining mafia that had endangered the Asiatic Lion in the Gir sanctuary, was brutally murdered near the Gujarat High Court on Tuesday night.
Amit Jethava, who had forced the Kodinar police to register complaints against the mining mafia through an RTI, was killed by two persons who came on a motorcycle and fired four rounds from close range from a revolver, police sources said.
A .12 bore revolver was found a little distance away from the spot. According to primary information, Jethava had got down the stairs of Satyamev Complex, bang opposite the high court, after having had a word with his advocate Vijay Nagesh around 8.45 pm.
As soon as he opened the door of his Maruti Gypsy, one of the duo fired at Jethava from behind, just three feet away. A dog squad that reached the spot found two live cartridges and one of the sandals of the culprits on a road some distance away from the spot.
An injured Jethva (inset) ran to the assailants, caught hold of them, but collapsed Despite being fired at, Jethava ran after the duo, catching hold of one of them. However, they shook him off and ran towards the Sayona City in Ghatlodia, leaving their Bajaj Discover bike (registration number GJ-1 DG 2482) behind. Jethava collapsed and fell to the ground. He died on the spot.
H M Kundaliya, PI, Sola police station, said, “We are taking statements of eyewitnesses and people who had come to meet Jethava’s lawyer. We have relayed a message across police stations to nab the culprits.”
A resident of Vishwas City-II, Jethava is originally from Khambha village in Amreli district. He had filed a complaint against Aamir Khan in the Chinkara killing case and had taken up cudgels against the mining mafia in the Barda sanctuary.
But for Jethava and the RTI filed by him against the mafia, the police, that had refused to file complaint against the miners for four years, would never have registered a complaint. The hearing of as many as 35 illegal mines in the periphery of Gir is on in the high court.
Jethava’s cousin told Ahmedabad Mirror, “For the past some time, Jethava had taken up the fight against illegal mining in the Gir periphery. The complaint filed by the geologist there was not taken up and it was only after the RTI filed by Jethava that the complaint was registered. Several politicians are also involved in the illegal mining activity near Gir and evasion of duty worth crores of rupees.”
The source article can be found here: http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/artic...d-near-HC.html
Father of RTI activist alleges BJP MP behind his murder
This is a very shocking news. Sharing some more news related to this.
Father of RTI activist alleges BJP MP behind his murder
Agencies
Posted: Jul 21, 2010 at 1521 hrs IST
Ahmedabad The father of an information rights activist Amit Jethwa, who was shot dead by two assailants last night, has alleged that BJP MP from Jundagadh Dinu Solanki could be behind his son's killing.
"I believe that Dinu Solanki is behind the killing of my son. He had many times threatened me also on phone," Bhikabhai Jethwa told mediapersons here.
"Solanki had threatened my son many times in Khamba and in Kodinar also. He had also threatened him in public in front of a huge crowd," he said.
Amit, who had recently filed a public interest litigation (PIL) against illegal mining in Gir forest region in the High Court recently, was shot dead from close range by two unknown motorcycle-borne assailants.
He was shot while he was coming out from the office of his lawyer opposite the Gujarat High Court yesterday night.
Dinu Solanki could not be reached on his mobile phone or the telephones at his residence and office for comments despite repeated efforts.
State BJP spokesperson I K Jadeja also refused to comment on the allegations made by father of the RTI activists, saying it was not a political issue.
"Allegations are often made. Only when they are proved, the party discusses and takes action," he said.
Link - http://www.expressindia.com/latest-n...murder/649805/
