“My son wanted to study. His dream was to become a lawyer. He was fond of swimming and he did not take any intoxicants… My child was kidnapped intentionally. He was taken away and beaten badly. My child was killed and then I was called.”
The grief of the son’s death was visible in the eyes of Vijaya Venkat Suryavanshi, mother of Dalit youth Somnath Suryavanshi who died in judicial custody.
She alleges that her son did not have any disease and he had come to Parbhani to take the law exam when the police arrested him.
After the matter escalated, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced an investigation into the case related to Parbhani violence and financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh to the family of the deceased.
Vijaya Suryavanshi’s 35-year-old son Somnath Suryavanshi died in judicial custody. Somnath belongs to the Vadar community.
Somnath was arrested by the Parbhani police in connection with the violence in Parbhani.
‘My son wanted to become a lawyer’
When we reached the Bhimnagar area of Parbhani on 17 December, Vijaya was surrounded by women. Somnath Suryavanshi’s last rites were performed on the evening of 16 December.
Vijaya has three children, the eldest of whom, Somnath Suryavanshi, was studying law in Parbhani. He had gone to Parbhani to take the exam.
Vijaya told BBC Marathi, “Somnath came to Parbhani on the 5th. We kept talking on the phone till the 10th. But he did not pick up the phone from the 11th to the 15th.”
After this, Vijaya came to know about Somnath’s death.
She says that the police told her that ‘Somnath had a heart attack’, but Vijaya does not trust the police.
She says, “My son wanted to become a lawyer. He did not consume any intoxicants. He did not smoke paan, bidi, cigarette, tobacco, or even eat betel nuts. He did not have any disease.”
Accusing the police, Vijaya said, “My child was beaten mercilessly. He was beaten on his sensitive parts. His thighs and chest were injured. This led to the death of my child.”
Somnath’s younger brother Premnath Suryavanshi said, “The police beat my brother badly for three to four days. They took off his clothes and beat him until he died.”
The postmortem of Somnath’s body was done on December 16 at Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar’s Ghati Hospital.
The initial postmortem report states that the cause of Somnath Suryavanshi’s death was ‘shock after multiple injuries’.
What is the whole matter?
On December 10, the replica of the Constitution in front of the statue of Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar in Parbhani was broken.
It is being told that the person who vandalized the statue is a psychopath and action has been taken against him.
In protest against this incident, the followers of Dr. Ambedkar appealed to keep the city closed on December 11. This bandh later took a violent turn and incidents of stone pelting also took place in some shops and vehicles.
Somnath Suryavanshi was also among those arrested by the police for the incident of violence.
Somnath was kept in police custody for two days, after which he was sent to judicial custody.
According to the police, on the morning of December 15, Somnath complained of chest pain, after which he was admitted to a local hospital where he was declared dead.
Regarding the arrests made in the Parbhani violence case, it is alleged that the police used excessive force. During this time many people also complained of serious injuries.
What happened in Bhim Nagar on the afternoon of 11 December?
We reached Bhim Nagar on the afternoon of 16 December. At that time many men and women were waiting for Somnath’s body near the statue of Baba Saheb Ambedkar. His body was being brought from Sambhajinagar to Parbhani.
Sudhakar Jadhav, a resident of Bhim Nagar, said, “The police came at three in the afternoon. Five people entered the house. They took my son out and started beating him. He was beaten like an animal. When I fell on him to rescue him, they started beating me too.”
Sudhakar says, “My son was beaten so much that his skin broke. The stick with which I was beaten also got bent. They hit me on the back and head.”
Sudhakar has sent his child to a relative in Nashik for treatment. The injury marks were still clearly visible on Sudhakar’s hands.
Sudhakar further said that due to kidney operation, he stays at home, does not go out and he did not participate in the protest that day.
Councillor Sushil Kamble from the same area said, “Women’s private parts were hurt. Some were beaten till they fainted. Police have beaten them so brutally.”
A blind woman told us that her son was hit on the back and head.
Allegations of police brutality
After the violence in Parbhani, the police have been accused of conducting search operations in Ambedkar and Buddhist settlements and beating up the citizens there.
Ambedkarite movement activist Rahul Pradhan said, “After the Parbhani violence on the 11th, the police conducted a search operation in Ambedkar and Buddhist settlements. During this, they demolished the houses of innocent people who had nothing to do with it. They broke the doors of people’s houses. Whoever was seen was beaten up, no one was spared.”
Ambedkarite movement leader Vijay Wakode says, “The police created terror by conducting search operations (combing operations) in the settlements of the agitators. The settlements of the Ambedkarite community have been targeted. The police kept beating Somnath Suryavanshi for two days.”
However, the police have denied using excessive force.
Former IPS officer Shirish Inamdar says, “In a combing operation, the police surround the area and conduct a search operation to arrest a cognizable criminal.”
However, Shahji Umap, Special Inspector General of Police, Nanded Zone, at the Superintendent of Police office in Parbhani, told BBC Marathi, “The police did not conduct combing operations.”
Rejecting the allegations against the police, Umap said, “The accused who were arrested in the stone pelting and arson incident on the 11th are in custody. After that, no one was arrested, and the police did not go to anyone. No case of terror or search by the police at home has come to light.”
On the allegations of Somnath Suryavanshi’s death due to police beating, he said, “I cannot talk about this. The medical report will clarify the situation.”
What did people say?
We met Vatsalabai Manavate, who is undergoing treatment at the Parbhani district hospital. She still has big wounds on her hands.
Vatsalabai’s son Sandeep Manavate said, “My mother was recording a video of the police action on her mobile phone. She was beaten up for doing so. She was beaten from her head to her feet. There is no place where she was not injured.”
Vatsalabai, who lives in Priyadarshini Nagar in Parbhani, said that ‘there was a lot of pushing and shoving.’
After the postmortem report of Somnath Suryavanshi, questions have been raised on the functioning of the police.
Former IPS officer Shirish Inamdar says, “Whether in custody or not, misbehaving is not right. If there is a crowd at a place, the police lathi-charge to disperse it. But an announcement is made before the lathi-charge.”
Meanwhile, Ambedkarite activists have demanded that the investigation of the case be handed over to the CID, a judicial inquiry be conducted and action be taken against the guilty police personnel. They also demand that the Suryavanshi family be given Rs 50 lakh assistance one person be given a government job, and the injured be treated and given financial help.
Along with this, there is a demand for compensation for those who have suffered losses in the police action.
CM’s announcement amid increasing political pressure
This case of Maharashtra is gaining political momentum. On Friday, the opposition surrounded the Mahayuti government in the Maharashtra Assembly regarding this incident.
Amidst increasing pressure, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced a judicial inquiry into the violence in Parbhani and financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh to Somnath Suryavanshi’s family.
However, Fadnavis claimed that Somnath’s medical report mentions that Somnath has a serious respiratory disease.
Meanwhile, senior Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi will also go to Parbhani on Monday and meet the victims.
