Nagpur: He is fighter. He fights ‘Battle of Information’ and wins too, most of the times. By winning many a battle, he has enriched the citizens across the sections of society with information that would have never been made public. The man is Abhay Kolarkar, an RTI activist of repute.
While talking exclusively to Nagpur Today, Abhay Kolarkar said that earlier he was serving in Nagpur Nagrik Sahakari Bank and retired when he was Branch Manager in 2011. After serving the bank for 33 years, he joined the ‘India Against Corruption’ movement of crusader Anna Hazare and started a new chapter of social service. “While participating in the movement, I met a person named Dabholkar who was incidentally an RTI activist and always bombarded NMC with pointed queries and sought information. Dabholkar’s activism spurred me too and I too became an RTI man.
From that day, I ensured my presence is felt by a horde of different offices by shooting RTI queries over a variety of topics. Citizens cherished the information provided by me. Even the media, both electronic as well as print, latched upon my information and flashed it nationally,” asserted the RTI activist. “Wait for few days, I am going to drop bombshells with stunning information with the help of RTI weapon,” thundered Abhay Kolarkar.
One of the baffling informations that the RTI activist shared with Nagpur Today was that a staggering 148 policemen deployed at various sections “died on duty” over the period from January 1, 2010 to November 25, 2015. The fact came to open through an RTI query Abhay Kolarkar fired to the Police Department. The information is truly exasperating.
Following are some of notable information the ace RTI activist shared with Nagpur Today:
• Eight officials and personnel of City Police Department have been booked for corrupt practices during the period from January 1 to November 25, 2015.
• 23 officials and personnel of City Police Force have been slapped with different charges of crimes. Criminals take advantage of such faltering police personnel. These criminals, posing as ‘bogus policemen, rob the gullible citizens. Six cases of fake cops looting the citizens have been registered and 17 such bogus policemen have been arrested in four cases.
Increase in crime rate by 4.16 percent.
• The figures made available under RTI points out that crime rate in Nagpur City increased by 4.16 percent. During the period from January 1 to November 25, 2015, the figure of Non-Cognizable offences registered stood at 8850. Out of these, 5290 were solved. The percentage of crimes solved is 60 percent but, at the same time, 40 percent remained unsolved. During the same period, 5252 crimes of serious nature were registered. Of them, 2109 crimes were cracked. During the corresponding period last year (2014), a total of 5033 crimes were registered and 1842 were solved.
Rapes climb the chart:
• Rape is categorized as serious crime. The crime is a stigma to the society. But in 2015, 153 incidents of rapes took place out of which 152 were solved. In 2014, the heinous crime occurred 95 times and 93 were solved. As far as murder cases are concerned, 75 murders took place in 2015 and 71 were cracked while in 2014, 95 incidents of murder were reported and 87 were solved. The murder cases decreased as the figures point out.
Molestation, looting, cheating increased:
• Attempt to murder cases in 2015 stood at 97 out of which 78 were solved. During the same period last year, 86 incidents of attempt to murder were registered and all of them were solved. The Chain-snatching incidents occurred 182 times and 60 were solved. Last year, such incidents took place 246 times but only 82 were solved. Looting incidents in 2015 stand at 244 and 165. In 2014, the crime occurred 232 times and 133 were solved. House-breakings touched the figure of 997 but only 252 were solved. In the last year, 1002 cases of house-breakings were registered and 243 were cracked. Other cases of crimes are: 1500 vehicle thefts, 335 solved. In 2014, 1491 vehicles were stolen out of which 272 were solved. Other cases of thefts stood at 1307 and 391 solved. The figures for last year were 1222 and 377 solved. Cheating – 346 incidents and 253 cracked. In 2014, the figures were 303 and 215 respectively. Molestation cases were 369 and 352 were solved. The figures of molestation for the last year were 261 and 254 were solved.
The information provided by the renowned RTI activist Abhay Kolarkar is no less than a treasure. Such more and more treasures could be on the anvil when the RTI man shoots more and more queries over a swathe of issues in the coming days.
… By Ravikant Kamble
