Hours after his son and grandsons were detained by police in connection with a dispute over a residential plot, an elderly dalit man allegedly immolated himself opposite Gondal Taluka Panchayat office in Gondal town of Rajkot district on Tuesday morning. Police said Devji Makwana (60), a resident of Surajgadh village of Gondal Taluka, doused himself with some inflammable liquid and set himself on fire opposite Gondal Taluka Panchayat office on Law College road of Gondal town. Bystanders threw jute bags on him and rushed him to government hospital in the town. After primary treatment, he was referred to Civil Hospital in Rajkot where he died. Assistant superintendent of police of Gondal, SJ Desai said the victim had a dispute over a residential plot with another dalit and that the incident was a fallout of that dispute. The elderly man took the extreme step hours after his son Mansukh and two grandsons were detained under Section 151 of CrPC by Gondal Taluka police at 4:30 pm on Monday as a preventive measure. Gondal Taluka police said Mansukh and his sons were detained after one Mohan Makwana, also a resident of Surajgadh village, gave an application against Deveji's family on Sunday. In his application, Mohan alleged that Deveji's family-members had trespassed in his residential plot and stolen some equipment. The Taluka police further said that families of Deveji and Mohan had dispute since the government allotted them 100 square yards residential plots a few years ago. Deveji had complained to authorities that Mohan was a government servant and had hidden facts to get the plot. Subsequently, the taluka development officer of Gondal had cancelled allocation of plot to Mohan. But Mohan has appealed against the cancellation. "On the other hand, Deveji's family members allege that Mohan is not cleaning and maintaining his plot and therefore it causes lots of problems for them," Hasmukh Mehta, assistant sub-inspector of Gondal Taluka police said. But before Gondal Taluka police could produce Mansukh and two others before a magistrate on Tuesday evening, Deveji committed suicide. Eyewitnesses said he was letting out cries of "We did not get justice" as he ran around while on fire.
