RTI activist’s murder: FIR lodged, man detained

In the FIR (first information report), the deceased’s father Vijay Agrawal said his son, who had been working as an RTI activist since 2009, was killed as part of a conspiracy hatched by land mafia.

The police on Saturday registered an FIR against unidentified persons and detained a man for interrogation in connection with the murder of an RTI activist in East Champaran district on Friday.

Agrawal said his son received a threat to his life and had approached police for protection last year. (Representational image)

Pramod Paswan, station house officer (SHO), Harshidih police station, said a man, identified as Uday Singh, was being interrogated in connection with the murder of RTI (Right to Information) activist Vipin Agrawal at Harshidih.

“We have yet not reached any conclusion. The interrogation is underway,” the SHO said.

In the FIR (first information report), the deceased’s father Vijay Agrawal said his son, who had been working as an RTI activist since 2009, was killed as part of a conspiracy hatched by land mafia.

“While constructions at several places were demolished after my son highlighted government land encroachment, cases against some are still pending,” he said.

Agrawal said his son received a threat to his life and had approached police for protection last year. “However, no action was taken. Barely after a few days, on February 16, 2020, our house was attacked, following which the security was provided for a couple of hours,” said the father.

Deepak Mani Tiwari, an RTI activist at Narkatiaganj in West Champaran district, said, “Like many other RTI activists, I too have been implicated in a false case and an attempt was made on my life was made in 2019. A case (138/19) has already been registered with Sikarpur police station in Narkatiaganj.”