Mumbai–based Movement against Intimidation Threat and Revenge against Activists (MITRA) has asked Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the series of attacks on activists as well as the recent murder of right to information (RTI) activist Satish Shetty.

Pune-based Satish Shetty on Wednesday was killed at Talegaon on the outskirts of Pune. He was known to have opposed land deals for the Mumbai-Pune Expressway Project and mega-projects involving nefarious land deals in the Pune area.

MITRA, on behalf of all activists and non-government organisations (NGOs), has demanded a CBI probe into Mr Shetty’s murder and into the role of the police, politicians and builders and others with vested interests, who they allege could be responsible for the killing. It has also requested a personal intervention by the chief minister to probe the unsolved attacks on activists in Mumbai.

According to police officials, Mr Shetty was attacked with a sword by unidentified people while he was out for his morning walk today. He later succumbed to his injuries, after being rushed to a hospital.

A few days back, Citispace founder Nayana Kathpalia was attacked at her residence in Churchgate, south Mumbai. Reportedly, two men fired a round at her residence in the early hours of Friday last week, but no one was injured. Moneylife had earlier reported on a series of attacks on activists in the past, which are still unsolved.
— Amritha Pillay