Amreli Dalit sarpanch’s murder: Family claim body as police assures fair probe

Madhad, 30, sarpanch of Varasda village of Amreli taluka was allegedly stabbed to death by three men of the same village

Amreli Police and district administration heaved a sigh of relief as family members of Dalit sarpanch Jaysukh Madhad was allegedly murdered over an old dispute claimed his body and performed last rites after authorities assured them of a fair probe in the case. Madhad, 30, sarpanch of Varasda village of Amreli taluka was allegedly stabbed to death by three men of the same village over a tiff which had started after Madhad’s victory in the village panchayat body in December last year.

The incident had taken place on Tuesday evening. But Madhad’s family had refused claim the body demanding that all the three persons named as accused in the FIR be arrested first. Police had arrested Deep Dhadhal, one of the three accused on Wednesday. But the family had continued their protest even as Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani and former BJP MLA Siddharth Parmar meet the victim’s family and expressed their support.

Later on Wednesday evening, Amreli collector Dilip Rana and Amreli SP Jagdish Patel met Madhad’s family and assured them of a fair probe and requested to perform last rites of the body. The family agreed, claimed the body on Thursday morning and performed Madhad’s last rites in Varasda village amid heavy police deployment. “We assured that family we shall conduct and fair and thorough probe in the case. The family was convinced and they claimed the body. The situation in the village is peaceful through police deployment continues,” SP Patel told The Indian Express on Thursday.

Story continues below this ad

Police also produced Deep in a local court. Granting police application, the court sent the accused to remand till March 8. “Yuvi Dhadhal and Madhu Vala, the remaining two accused are on the run. Efforts are on to arrest them,” Patel further said.

Madhad was allegedly stabbed and hit with iron pipes by Deep, Yuvi and Vala on Tuesday evening in Varasda. The village sarpanch had died while being taken to a hospital in Amreli with doctors saying he died of excessive bleeding from the stab wounds in his right thigh. In his complaint, Madhad’s elder brother Aravind stated that a panel floated by relatives of the accused had lost village panchayat election to Jaysukh in last December. The accused did not like the victory, leading to assault on him.

Meanwhile Aravind said that their fight will continues. “The post-funeral rites of my brother will go on till March 6. We have given police time till that date to arrest the remaining two accused or we shall launch an agitation,” Aravind said. Jaysukh was mason while his elder brother was associated with centring work until 2015 when he experienced electric shock and his hands were burnt. Before becoming sarpanch, Jaysukh had served as a member of the village panchayat body for five years.

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram