: Six youths involved in the murder of RTI activist Ganesh Chandra Panda (52) near Berhampur in Odisha were arrested on Saturday.
The RTI activist had been murdered with sharp weapons on December 29, 2014 in Golanthara police station area. Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) of Berhampur, Sashibhusan Satpathy said all the arrested persons were between 20 to 23 years of age and were residents of Randha, Baghalati, Kanisi, Berhampur and Chatrapur. Prakash Raula, the main conspirator of the murder is absconding. According to the ASP, both the deceased as well as the Prakash were from Randha village of Rangeilunda block. While Ganesh was a trader by profession, Prakash was a contractor involved in various government projects in the block.
Facts revealed through RTI applications of Ganesh regarding irregularities in developmental works in the area had become a major problem for Prakash. Sanction of funds for some projects taken up by Prakash had been held up by the government due to Ganesh’s RTI activism.
On December 29, 2014 morning, the group of six assailants rounded up Ganesh at NH16 near Randha, while the victim was taking his morning walk and killed him.
