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Congress leader Rahul Gandhi departed from his residence in New Delhi on Monday morning to visit Parbhani district in Maharashtra, where he is set to meet families affected by the ongoing violence in the region. Among those he will meet is the family of Somnath Suryawanshi, a Dalit activist and budding advocate who allegedly died in judicial custody following protests over the alleged desecration of a replica of the Indian Constitution.
According to ANI, heightened security arrangements have been put in place by Maharashtra Police ahead of the Leader of Opposition's (LoP) visit. Gandhi's visit aims to provide support to the families of victims and to address their demands for justice.
Somnath Suryawanshi's family has called for strict action against the police officer under whose custody the activist reportedly died on December 15. Speaking to ANI, the activist's brother, Premnath Suryawanshi, expressed anguish over the alleged lack of transparency and accountability from law enforcement.
"The police did not inform us about my brother's condition after his arrest. We were only told on December 15 that he had passed away due to a heart attack. We do not believe this explanation. Those responsible for my brother's death should face the death penalty. Suspending them is not enough. We will demand this directly from Rahul Gandhi," Premnath stated.
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His mother, Vijayabai Suryawanshi, echoed the sentiment, describing her son's death as murder. She urged the government to take decisive action and reiterated the family's demand for capital punishment for the accused.
The alleged custodial death occurred against the backdrop of violent protests in Parbhani city on December 10. According to ANI reports, the unrest began following claims of vandalism involving a replica of the Indian Constitution. Special Inspector General of Nanded, Shahaji Umap, confirmed that eight cases had been registered in connection with the violence, and around 50 individuals had been arrested.
During the clashes, a deputy superintendent of police and nine other police personnel reportedly sustained minor injuries. The arrests, according to Umap, were made at the scene of the unrest to maintain law and order.
