The RTI activist was targeted by illegal liquor shopowners who had to close down, police said
Two men wanted in connection with the killing of a "right to information" activist in Telangana in May have been arrested, the police said today. The Mumbai Police crime branch arrested Rajeshwar Goud Elimati, 46, and Rajayya Kasarppu, 51, from their homes in suburban Bandra and Jogeshwari on Sunday, a police officer said.
He said the two men, who owned toddy shops in Mumbai, were wanted for killing of RTI activist Podeti Satyanarayan Narsa Goud.
The 51-year-old was shot dead in Dharmapuri town in Telangana's Jagtial district on May 9. He was based in Mumbai.
Mr Goud had filed several RTI petitions with the excise department of Maharashtra seeking information about illegal sale of toddy in Mumbai, the police officer said.
After the information was made available, many toddy shops were raided and their licences cancelled by the excise department, he said.
Suffering big losses in the business, some toddy shopowners, including Elimati and Kasarppu, decided to kill Mr Goud and allegedly hired contract killers for the job, the police officer said.
The RTI activist was shot dead while he was going to his hometown, Dharmapuri.
The Telangana police have arrested nine accused, including a shooter from West Bengal.
Elimati and Kasarppu are residents of Telangana. Another accused is on the run, the police said.
"We have handed them over to the Dharmapuri police," said Vinayak Mer, senior inspector of the crime branch.