Sarpanch, driver held for killing RTI activist’s kin

FATEHABAD - Haryana Police have arrested a village sarpanch (headman) and his driver who killed the daughter-in-law of a Right to Information (RTI) activist here, police said Sunday.

According to police, the victim was identified as Sonu, a resident of Chandrawal village in this Haryana district. She was crushed under the sarpanch’s vehicle Saturday.

Her father-in-law Jagdish Singh had recently exposed with the help of the RTI Act a scandal in the payment of pension.

Police said that Chandrawal village Sarpanch Dharambir Malik was booked under various sections as an accused in the pension scam after Jagdish Singh’s RTI query exposed wrongdoings.

“Dharambir and his driver Satbir Singh were crossing through the village in their Innova car Saturday. They tried to crush Jagdish Singh under the car but his daughter-in-law Sonu pushed him on the other side. However in the melee, the car ran over Sonu and she died,” said Shamsher Singh Dhaiya, the investigating officer of the case.

“Jagdishs legs were crushed under the wheels. He is in hospital. We have arrested the two accused and a court has sent them to police remand, he added.