Dalit man dies in Rajkot, family alleges torture by police

Hamir alias Gopal Rathod, a casual labourer and a resident of Ambedkarnagar in Rajkot, died while undergoing treatment in a private hospital in the city. His death came less than two days after he was picked up by a team of Malaviyanagar police around 11 pm on Sunday.

“He was taken to the police station in response to a call received by the police not related to him but someone else and he tried to intervene. The allegation is that he was beaten up, then he slipped in a coma and died,” Bhargava told The Indian Express.

He added that Hamir, who was in his 30s, was also battling with some diseases. “He had a history of kidney problems and chronic diabetes. We are waiting for the report of his postmortem examination.”

In her complaint, Hamir’s wife Geeta said that a person named Raju Solanki, who lives in Khodiyarnagar adjoining Ambedkarnagar, had a quarrel with his neighbour on Sunday night. Raju’s son Jayesh came to Hamir’s home, saying that his neighbour had called the police. Jayesh told Hamir that if the latter intervened, the matter could be sorted out. So, Hamir went with Jayesh.

“Around 15 minutes later, my son Arman told me that a police vehicle had come and that they beat up his father, pushed him into the vehicle and drove away,” the FIR quoted 31-year-old Geeta, a homemaker, as having stated in her complaint on Monday.

The FIR added that Geeta’s mother-in-law Keshar informed their neighbour Nanjibhai about the incident and he went to Malaviyanagar police station and brought Hamir home on his scooter around 1 am on Monday.

In the FIR, Geeta said that when Hamir came home, he looked to be in a partial coma and went to sleep soon after.

“My husband had a habit of waking up early but he did not wake up (on Monday morning). When I tried to wake him up, he did not. His health looked bad and he had wet his pair of trousers. While changing his clothes, I noted marks of injuries on his body caused by beating.”

Hamir’s elder brother Haresh rushed him to a private hospital where doctors told the family that prima facie, he had brain haemorrhage. Based on Geeta’s complaint, a case under sections 307 (attempt to murder) and 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) under the Indian Penal Code was registered at Malaviyanagar police station early Tuesday.

Later in the day, Hamir’s body was shifted to the state government-run civil hospital in the city. Hordes of Dalits gathered at the hospital, saying that they would not claim the body till the accused policemen are arrested. Dalits also blocked traffic on the busy Kalavad Road in the afternoon near the private hospital. Post the post-mortem, Dalits were protesting outside the Rajkot civil hospital till late evening.

Meanwhile Mevani, a Dalit leader and Congress MLA from Vadgam Assembly constituency alleged that Rathod was “murdered” by police. “This is a custodial murder in which Gujarat is at the top in the country,” Mevani posted on his official ‘X’ account.

He also asserted that Rathod’s kin won’t claim the victim’s body until Sudha Pandey, an IPS officer currently posted as commandant of Rajkot-headquartered Group 13 of State Reserve Police Force is assigned probe in the case.

“We demand that instead of corrupt officers… investigation be handed over to officers whose integrity can’t be questioned. I demand an investigation headed by IPs officer Sudha Pandey. The vitim’s family won’t claim his body until investigation is assigned to Sudha ji,” Mevani said, adding, the kin of the victim be also paid Rs50 lakh compensation and trial of the court be conducted in a special court and be completed within six months.