A Dalit RTI activist, Pankaj Lamba, who played a vital role in unearthing the multi-crore SC/ST scholarship distribution scam in Uttarakhand in 2013, was accidentally shot dead by his own pistol, allegedly by a minor girl. However, the family has alleged that his associates—Kasim and other unknown people—were behind killing the activist.
Lamba’s associates claim he was accidentally shot dead by a teenage girl
According to the reports, Lamba was at a party at the girl’s residence on Friday night, where he gave his pistol to the teenager to have a look at. The activist had reportedly assumed his gun to be empty but a bullet was left in the chamber which got hit on his neck when the girl fired. He was rushed to a nearby hospital where the doctors declared him brought dead.
The police say that they are investigating the assertions made by the associates who had accompanied Lamba. They had reportedly told the police that the minor girl, who lived along with her three other siblings, had pulled the trigger that killed Lamba. The reports have also claimed that the minor girl had admitted to the firing.
RTI activist’s family accuse his associate Kasim and others
The activist’s family, on the other hand, has refuted the associates’ account, stating that Lamba’s death was not an accident. They have alleged that the RTI activist was murdered and it was made to look like an accident. An FIR was filed by the police on Sunday after the family alleged foul play in Lamba’s death.
The slain RTI activist’s wife, Jyoti, rubbished the claims of accidental firing and mentioned in her complaint that her husband was home when Kasim and another person came around at 11:30 pm. Jyoti added that the duo insisted Lamba to accompany them for a site inspection where construction material was being purloined.
Somewhere between 2 AM to 3 AM, a person who identified himself as Ajay Maurya informed her that her husband has taken a bullet injury. She has alleged that Kasim and others conspired to bump off her husband.
Lamba’s sister also echoed similar sentiments, alleging that her brother was murdered and an attempt was made to malign his image. “The police’s claim that he was killed by an accidental fire by a teenage girl and recovery of liquor bottles is an attempt to defame him. I believe he was killed at some other place and his body was placed at another spot,” she said.
Police investigating all possible angles into Lamba’s death
After the family filed an FIR in the case, the police are now investigating all the possible angles to ascertain if Lamba had died of an accidental shot by a minor girl or he was murdered through a well-thought-out conspiracy by his associates and others involved in the case.