UP Congress worker dies during protest in Lucknow, party claims ‘police brutality’

Lucknow, Dec 18 (PTI) A Congress worker died during the party’s protest near the Uttar Pradesh Assembly on Wednesday, with its UP unit chief Ajay Rai claiming that he died due to “police brutality”.

Police said 28-year-old Prabhat Pandey, a native of Gorakhpur, was brought dead to the hospital from Congress office.

“Prabhat Pandey was brought to the Civil Hospital in Hazratganj in an unconscious condition from the Congress office. The doctors declared him brought dead,” DCP (Central Lucknow) Raveena Tyagi said.

“Prima facie, according to doctors, there was no visible injury mark on his body. Apart from this, a post-mortem would be done by a panel and the process would be videographed. Accordingly further legal proceedings would be carried out,” Tyagi added.

Uttar Pradesh Congress Chief Ajay Rai took to social media platform X and said: “Today, while going to gherao the assembly, our young colleague Prabhat Pandey ji passed away due to police brutality.”