RTI activist commits suicide

Pithapuram: Gollaprolu mandal president of RTI Aikyavedika Padala Ratna Bharat on Thursday succumbed to burns he sustained while self-immolating on Wednesday and died in the general hospital in Kakinada while undergoing treatment on Thursday.

Movement of vehicular traffic on national high way came to a standstill with the Aikyavedika leaders and activists staging a rasta roko with the body of Ratna Bharat. They held the teachers and sub-inspector B Sivakrishna squarely responsible for Bharat’s death and demanded authorities to place them under suspension.

Circle Inspector Umar beefed up the security. The demonstrators told the CI that teachers victimised Bharat as he complained to authorities on teachers abstaining from work. The sub-inspector foisted false case against Sivakrishna acting at the behest of the teachers. They also demanded government job to Bharat’s wife besides payment of a compensation of Rs 25 lakh.

They threatened to step up their agitation statewide if their demands were not met. Aikya Vedika women’s wing president Nalam Andal, general secretary K Lalita Devi, youth wing secretary K Sunil Kumar, and others participated.