Gujarat: RTI activist injured, son killed by illegal sand mafia

Ahmedabad, Oct 06: A 24-year-old man was killed and his father, a Right to Information activist, was grievously injured after a man accused of illegal sand mining allegedly rammed their scooter with his SUV in Gujarat's Kutch district.

The accused was arrested following the incident which took place on October 3, local police said.
RTI activist Ramesh Balia, a native of Meghpar village in Lakhpat tehsil, had filed complaints of illegal sand mining against Navalsinh Jadeja, police said.

On October 3, when Mr Balia and his son Narendra were returning home after visiting Dayapar village around 6:30 pm, Navalsinh Jadeja's SUV hit them from behind and ran them over, news agency PTI reported.

While Narendra Balia died on the spot, his father, a local Dalit leader, was rushed to a hospital in Bhuj for treatment, said inspector SA Maheshwari of Nara police station.

A First Information Report was registered against Navalsinh Jadeja for alleged murder as well as under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, he said.

A team of the local crime branch arrested Navalsinh Jadeja a day after the incident. A court sent him in one-day police custody on Wednesday, the police officer said.

Navalsinh Jadeja apparently held a grudge against Mr Balia for filing complaints against him with the local mines and minerals department for illegal sand mining, inspector Maheshwari said.

Navalsinh Jadeja was also accused of land grabbing, he said, adding that further probe was on.