Fighting graft, he dies near Palike office

BANGALORE: He literally died fighting against corruption. H Y Mahesh (59), an RTI activist who was fighting corruption in the BBMP, was going to the Lokayukta's office to file a complaint against BBMP and Revenue Department officials when he was run over by a BMTC bus. The accident occurred near Badami House in front of the BBMP offices on Monday.

Mahesh, a senior assistant in State Bank of India's St Mark's Road branch , was a resident of Hanumanthanagar.

According to police, his twowheeler collided with a BMTC bus and the rear wheel of the bus ran over his head, killing him on the spot.

Mahesh has been fighting corruption in the BBMP for the last three years. He played a role in convincing Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hegde to issue a directive to the BBMP commissioner to issue khatas to all Sachidanandanagar site owners according to a Supreme Court directive. Following this, he was branded as one of the 'Khata Warriors' of Bangalore.

"Through his RTI activities, corrupt practices in the BBMP, involving an MLA and also the commissioner, were brought to light," said Shankara Prasad, a fellow RTI activist and an IT professional.

Mahesh was also instrumental in getting khatas to around 900 residents of Sachidanandanagar.

He is survived by his wife and two daughters. The funeral will take place at Chamarajpet burial ground at 10 am.

Ulsoorgate traffic police have registered a case and have seized the bus.