It was January 30, 2015 RTI activist Krupasindhu Sahu of Niali block in Cuttack district was murdered by dreaded criminals for his effort to expose huge corruption and irregularities in paddy cultivation under Government Scheme for seeking information through RTI.
In the same Niali block, another RTI activist has been threatened of dire consequence by influential political people and hooligans and asked to withdraw the application.
Pabitra Bhoi, a Dalit boy has submitted RTI application on July 14 Anlo gram panchayat PIO in Niali block seeking information about details of houses sanctioned to different people under Indira Awas Yojana, Mo Kudia Yojna.
“But the PIO Umesh Ch Behera informed the people who have taken IAY house illegally violating guidelines. As a result on July 19, a group of people reached his house in evening and chided him referring his caste ‘Kandara’ and threatened him to withdraw RTI application else get ready to face consequence,” said Odisha Soochana Adhikar Abhiyan convenor Pradip Pradhan. But though the information seeker has approached the Niali police and Cuttack SP nothing tangible has happened as yet. Seeing no justice rights activists have submitted a memorandum to the DGP urging him to facilitate protection to Pabitra and justice to him.