Shehla Masood
Encyclopedia
Shehla Masood (1973–2011), was an environmentalist, wildlife and RTI activist. She was shot dead around 11 am on August 16, 2011 by unidentified person/person(s) in front of her house in Bhopal while she was sitting in her car and was about to leave.
's India Against Corruption campaign. She was actively involved in raising issues related to the deaths of tigers in the various sanctuaries of Madhya Pradesh
. Shehla herself was working for the RSS
backed Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Trust, organizing events for them from Srinagar to Kolkata to Delhi. She had asked for details about Narmada Samagraha, an NGO backed by the BJP Rajya Sabha MP. She was about to leave for Boat club in Bhopal to join the anti-government protest
to bring the Jan Lokpal Bill
when she was killed. She co-founded RTI Anonymous, a service for whistle blowers for filing anonymous Right to Information (RTI) Applications with Indian Government departments without getting victimized, with her friends just a few days before her death.
On August 16, 2011 at around 11 AM, she was shot by an unidentified assailant from point blank range. Shehla was about to leave in her car when she was shot. Nobody heard the gunshot indicating a silenced gun. It was only when the car didn't move for a while that the family members came out. Shehla was found collapsed on one side and was bleeding from her chest. She was of about 38 years of age.
According to Police, the motive of the killing remains unknown. However, as per media, the possible cause could be her RTI
activities and for protesting illegal diamond mining done by Rio Tinto
in connivance with government officers and fighting to save tigers, leopards and forests, who were killed for their skins in connivance with forest officers
In an indication of the seriousness of this high-profile murder, for which no arrests have yet been made, the Government of Madhya Pradesh
transferred the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation
, who recreated the sequence of events leading to her murder, but have yet to find any leads to the murderer.
family. She lived with her father, Masood Sultan and her aunt in Koh-e-Fiza locality of Bhopal. She had a sister, who lives in the United States of America.
Social activist
Shehla was an activist working on primarily on wildlife conservation, and also supported other causes like good governance, RTI Act, Police reforms, environment, women's rights & issues, transparency and sexual minorities rights. She had recently sat on a fast in support of Anna HazareAnna Hazare
Kisan Baburao Hazare , popularly known as Anna Hazare is an Indian social activist and a prominent leader in the 2011 Indian anti-corruption movement, using nonviolent methods following the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi...
's India Against Corruption campaign. She was actively involved in raising issues related to the deaths of tigers in the various sanctuaries of Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....
. Shehla herself was working for the RSS
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh or National Patriotic Organization), also known the Sangh, is a right-wing Hindu nationalist, paramilitary, volunteer, and allegedly militant organization for Hindu males in India...
backed Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Trust, organizing events for them from Srinagar to Kolkata to Delhi. She had asked for details about Narmada Samagraha, an NGO backed by the BJP Rajya Sabha MP. She was about to leave for Boat club in Bhopal to join the anti-government protest
2011 Indian anti-corruption movement
The 2011 Indian anti-corruption movement is a series of ongoing demonstrations and protests across India intended to establish strong legislation and enforcement against endemic political corruption...
to bring the Jan Lokpal Bill
Jan Lokpal Bill
The Jan Lokpal Bill, also referred to as the citizens' ombudsman bill, is a proposed independent anti-corruption law in India. Anti-corruption social activists proposed it as a more effective improvement to the original Lokpal bill, which is currently being proposed by the Government of India.The...
when she was killed. She co-founded RTI Anonymous, a service for whistle blowers for filing anonymous Right to Information (RTI) Applications with Indian Government departments without getting victimized, with her friends just a few days before her death.
Professional Life
She was the secretary of NGO Udai and was the CEO of a company called 'Miracles' which was involved in "Events and Media related services", according to her public Linked profile. Although NGO Udai was created in 2004, it was recently it ventured into tiger and forest conservation.Assassination
Shehla was constantly living under threat, as revealed by her in an interview before she was shot dead.On August 16, 2011 at around 11 AM, she was shot by an unidentified assailant from point blank range. Shehla was about to leave in her car when she was shot. Nobody heard the gunshot indicating a silenced gun. It was only when the car didn't move for a while that the family members came out. Shehla was found collapsed on one side and was bleeding from her chest. She was of about 38 years of age.
According to Police, the motive of the killing remains unknown. However, as per media, the possible cause could be her RTI
Right to Information Act
The Right to Information Act 2005 is an Act of the Parliament of India "to provide for setting out the practical regime of right to information for citizens." The Act applies to all States and Union Territories of India except the State of Jammu and Kashmir. Jammu and Kashmir has its own act...
activities and for protesting illegal diamond mining done by Rio Tinto
Rio Tinto Group
The Rio Tinto Group is a diversified, British-Australian, multinational mining and resources group with headquarters in London and Melbourne. The company was founded in 1873, when a multinational consortium of investors purchased a mine complex on the Rio Tinto river, in Huelva, Spain from the...
in connivance with government officers and fighting to save tigers, leopards and forests, who were killed for their skins in connivance with forest officers
In an indication of the seriousness of this high-profile murder, for which no arrests have yet been made, the Government of Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....
transferred the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation
Central Bureau of Investigation
The Central Bureau of Investigation is a government agency of India that serves as a criminal investigation body, national security agency and intelligence agency. It was established on 1 April 1963 and evolved from the Special Police Establishment founded in 1941...
, who recreated the sequence of events leading to her murder, but have yet to find any leads to the murderer.
Personal life
Shehla Masood was aged 38 years old, unmarried, born into a MuslimMuslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
family. She lived with her father, Masood Sultan and her aunt in Koh-e-Fiza locality of Bhopal. She had a sister, who lives in the United States of America.
External links
- Anna Supporter and RTI activist Shehla Masood shot dead in Bhopal http://www.indianexpress.com/news/anna-supporter-and-rti-activist-shehla-masood-shot-dead-in-bhopal/832621/1
- Anna Supporter and RTI activist shot dead in Bhopal http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Anna-supporter-and-RTI-activist-shot-dead-in-Bhopal/articleshow/9622139.cms
- What really happened to Shehla Masood?