“Young man was killed because he was Dalit…”: Rahul Gandhi visits victim of violence in Maharashtra’s Parbhani

Parbhani (Maharashtra) [India], December 23 (ANI): Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Monday visited Maharashtra’s Parbhani that had witnessed violence earlier this month and alleged that the victim was “murdered” because he was a Dalit and was “protecting” the Constitution.

“I have met the family and those who have been killed and beaten up. They showed me the post-mortem report, videos, photographs. This is 100 per cent a custodial death. He has been murdered and the Chief Minister lied in the Assembly to give a message to the police. This young man was killed because he was a Dalit and was protecting the Constitution,” Rahul Gandhi told reporters.

The Lok Sabha LoP alleged that the ideology of the RSS is to “destroy” the Constitution, adding that the matter should be “resolved” immediately.

“We want this matter to be resolved immediately and those who have done this should be punished. No politics is being done… The ideology is responsible because the Chief Minister has made this statement so the Chief Minister is responsible, those who have killed him are responsible and action should be taken as soon as possible,” he added.

Rahul Gandhi, state Congress President Nana Patole and other Congress leaders visited Maharashtra’s violence-hit Parbhani and paid homage.

Violence erupted in Parbhani city on December 10 following the alleged vandalism of a replica of the Indian Constitution. Special Inspector General of Nanded, Shahaji Umap, earlier stated that around 50 people had been arrested, and eight cases registered in connection with the violence.

The family members of deceased Somnath Suryawnashi have demanded a death sentence for the accused police officer under whose custody Suryawanshi died.

“The police didn’t give any information regarding my brother after they arrested him. The day my brother died, on December 15, they only informed me then that my brother had died due to a heart attack. Those involved in this incident must be punished. Suspending them is of no use. They should be punished because they have killed my brother. We want them to hang till death. We will say the same to Rahul Gandhi,” Premnath Suryawanshi, brother of deceased Dalit activist,” told ANI.

The official clarified that all arrests were made at the scene of the incident and reported that a deputy superintendent of police and nine other police personnel sustained minor injuries during the unrest.