Even women were slapped while a camera of the group was broken, the activists alleged.
Police in Rajasthan have registered a First Information Report against unknown people in Jhalawar over an attack on members of a rights group founded by noted activists Aruna Roy and Nikhil Dey who blame a local BJP legislator for the incident that left at least 12 people injured.
The BJP legislator from Alkera, Kanwar Lal Meena, has denied claims by the activists that he and
a group of over 40 people attacked members of the Soochna Evam Rozgar Manch when they were in Rajasthan's Jhalawar for a drive to raise awareness on government accountability.
A senior police officer said that they had detained four people over the last night and investigations are on. The incident happened in the constituency of Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje's son.
Describing the attack as "pre-planned", Nikhil Dey said, "We were not critical of the government, we were just trying to work towards good governance. If even that cannot be talked about then it is a very sad commentary on democratic space."
The vehicles of the group were also vandalised by the mob.
He said the 'Jawabdehi Yatra' drive of over 100 meetings in more than 15 districts has had a "fantastic response" leading people to register over 6,000 complaints about the delivery of benefits under social schemes.
Yesterday, the group, an off-shoot organisation of the Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan or MKKS founded by Magasaysay award-winner Aruna Roy and Mr Dey, said they were attacked by three people first.
When the activists resisted, they were allegedly attacked by a mob of over 40 people led by the local Kanwar Lal Meena with sticks and stones. The activists allege that even women were slapped and beaten while a camera of the group was broken. Two members of their team have been seriously injured.
Activists part of the drive also alleged that the police deployed at the spot just stood as mute spectators and watched the sequence of events unfolding.