Rahul Gandhi meets family of deceased youth in Maharashtra, calls for action in custodial death case
Gandhi alleged that Suryavanshi, a Dalit, was killed whilst in custody following his arrest during protests that erupted in Parbhani
Mumbai: Rahul Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, visited the family of Somnath Suryavanshi on Monday, who died in judicial custody in Parbhani. Gandhi alleged that Suryavanshi, a Dalit, was killed whilst in custody following his arrest during protests that erupted after a mentally unstable person desecrated a replica of the constitution on December 15.

After meeting the family, Gandhi addressed the media, saying, "This is cent per cent custodial death. Police have killed him and chief minister Fadnavis lied in assembly to give a message to police. He was killed because he is Dalit. RSS philosophy is against the Constitution."
Gandhi, who examined the post-mortem report, expressed dissatisfaction with the investigation's progress and maintained that it was murder. "Justice is needed," he said, holding both the officers involved in the alleged beating and Fadnavis accountable for the incident.
The Congress leader also visited the family of Vijay Wakode, a Dalit activist who died of a heart attack whilst attempting to restore peace during the Parbhani unrest.
Arriving in Nanded at noon, Gandhi travelled by car to Parbhani in the Marathwada region. Suryavanshi, a law student, had been filming a protest that followed the vandalism of a constitution replica on December 10. After his arrest, his relatives alleged he was tortured in custody, contradicting Fadnavis's assertion that he died from a pre-existing illness. The post-mortem report attributed the death to injuries.
Speaking in Pune, Fadnavis responded to Gandhi's allegations: "Rahul Gandhi came with a political motive. His aim is to wedge differences in various castes. He has completed his task. We are sensitive to the case and announced judicial probe. If the probe shows then the death happened due to atrocity, then the guilty will not be spared."
Gandhi was accompanied by senior Congress leaders including AICC general secretary for Maharashtra Ramesh Chennithala, State President Nana Patole, and former minister Balasaheb Thorat.
Patole announced that the Congress would bring a privilege motion against Fadnavis for providing incorrect information.

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