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Four days after being released on bail, accused in vandalism of Constitution replica found dead

Pawar had recently returned to his native village Mirzapur in Parbhani taluka after securing bail, nearly 13 months after his arrest.

2 min readMumbaiJan 12, 2026 07:47 PM IST

Pawar's arrest triggered widespread protests in Parbhani. (File Photo)

Datta Sopan Pawar, the accused in a case involving vandalism of a replica of the Constitution near Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar statue in Parbhani, was found dead at his residence on Monday, four days after being released on bail.

Pawar had recently returned to his native village Mirzapur in Parbhani taluka after securing bail, nearly 13 months after his arrest. Parbhani Rural Police is probing the incident.

The vandalism incident took place on December 10, 2024, when a replica of the Constitution installed near the Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar statue outside the district collector’s office was damaged. Pawar was apprehended at the spot by bystanders and handed over to the police. His arrest triggered widespread protests in Parbhani, including a city shutdown the following day, during which several people were detained.

The situation escalated further after the death of Somnath Suryavanshi, a law student who was arrested during the protests. His family alleged custodial assault, leading to nationwide outrage. Several political leaders visited Parbhani, and the incident drew sharp criticism of the police administration. The city remained tense for several days following these developments.

The Maharashtra government had subsequently suspended inspector Ashok Ghorband after allegations of excesses during the violence in Parbhani.

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