Koregaon Bhima: Ramdas Athawale meets Dalit teen’s family, seeks ‘proper probe’ into her death

The Dalit leader later told mediapersons he has asked police officials to conduct a proper investigation and arrest those responsible for her death. “I have also asked police to arrest those who attacked and set the Sakats’ house on fire… attempts are on to rehabilitate the Sakat family in Pune city area…,” said Athawale.

The family’s house, on the Pune-Ahmednagar Highway, had been burnt by a mob on January 2, a day after the area witnessed widespread violence when lakhs of people assembled for the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Bhima Koregaon. Puja and her brother Jaideep, who witnessed the burning, approached the police station the same day to register a complaint. Police recorded the brother’s statement, in which he had identified five people amidst a mob of about 150.

“Puja’s family said some persons wanted them to leave their house in Koregaon Bhima. So, a day after the clashes, they attacked the Sakats’ house. Five months have passed but police have still not arrested those involved in the incident….the Sakat family also said that Puja was receiving threat calls. It should be probed whether she committed suicide because of the threats or was murdered due to the land dispute…,” said Athawale, the national president of the Republican Party of India (A).

Puja’s father, Suresh Sakat, had expressed suspicion that his daughter had been murdered, but had blamed his former neighbours, with whom he had an ongoing ‘land dispute’, for her death.

“Police have lodged a case of abetting suicide and arrested two persons so far. But seven others named as accused in the case are still at large and are seeking anticipatory bail… I have spoken to the superintendent of Pune Rural Police about carrying out a proper investigation,” said the Union minister.

Puja went missing from her house in Wada Gaothan area of Koregaon Bhima on April 21. The next morning, her father Suresh found her body inside a nearby well. The post-mortem of her body, conducted at Sassoon Hospital, termed it a case of “death due to drowning”. Puja’s family as well as police had told The Indian Express that she was not a witness in any of the cases related to the clashes in Koregaon Bhima.

Athawale also demanded the arrest of Hindutva leader Sambhaji Bhide who, along with Milind Ekbote, was booked on charges of orchestrating the violence in Koregaon Bhima. While Ekbote was arrested and later released on bail, police have said they don’t have enough evidence to arrest Bhide.

“I had a meeting with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and he said there was no evidence of Bhide’s involvement in the clashes. But nobody is above the law. Sambhaji Bhide should be detained and questioned by police and action should be taken if he is involved,” said Athavale.

Athawale also said his party was organising a massive conference at the SSPMS Ground in Pune on May 27.
“We have invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Fadnavis for the conference… Some persons are trying to defame me because of our alliance with the BJP. But it will not work as people know that our party truly believes in the values of Dr Ambedkar who, despite having differences with Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, was a minister in his cabinet. Being part of a government enables us to work more effectively towards solving problems of the society,” he said.