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This is an archive article published on May 11, 2024

In Dalit man’s suicide, shadows from a 2016 murder-gangrape case

It was in the same village that a 14-year-old Maratha girl had been raped and murdered, allegedly by three persons, in July 2016, an incident that set off Maratha protests across Maharashtra. Besides, the protagonists in both cases are related.

Police said family members found a four-line suicide note in his pocket in which he blamed the Maratha men. (Representational)

A scuffle at a ‘tamasha’ event that ended in the suicide of a Dalit man has left a village in Ahmednagar district on the edge. What has added to the tensions are shadows of the past.

It was in the same village that a 14-year-old Maratha girl had been raped and murdered, allegedly by three persons, in July 2016, an incident that set off Maratha protests across Maharashtra. Besides, the protagonists in both cases are related.

The suicide

Of the three men arrested for the Dalit man’s suicide, one is the brother of the Maratha girl in the 2016 gangrape and murder case. And the Dalit youth who died by suicide is related to one of the convicts in the 2016 gangrape case.

On May 2, the 37-year-old Dalit man was found hanging from the ceiling at his home. Police said family members found a four-line suicide note in his pocket in which he blamed the Maratha men. Within 24 hours, the Ahmednagar Police arrested three of the accused for alleged abetment of suicide.

According to the complaint filed by the Dalit victim’s father, his son had gone for the tamasha, a popular folk art form, on the night of May 1, but did not return home. The following morning, the father got to know from villagers that his son had got into a scuffle and was allegedly thrashed by upper caste men. Family members alleged that they found him lying naked at the village crematorium and brought him home on a motorcycle.

dalit man suicide

The FIR says the victim told his father that around 11.30 pm on May 1, when he started dancing at the tamasha, the three accused made casteist remarks and assaulted him. As matters got out of hand, the tamasha was stopped. Later, as the victim was on his way home, the accused allegedly took him to the cremation ground, forced him to strip and assaulted him, the FIR stated.

Around 3.30 pm the next day, the victim allegedly hanged himself at his residence. He is survived by his parents, wife and two sons.

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Police have booked the three accused in the suicide case under relevant sections of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. A court has remanded them in police custody till May 8.

Superintendent of Ahmednagar Police Rakesh Ola told The Indian Express, “An FIR was lodged as per the complaint of the deceased’s father and the accused were arrested. Further probe is on.”

The father of the accused said the case was “false” and that his son had been framed in the case. “We got to know that a minor scuffle had happened since the man (the victim) was drunk and was causing a ruckus at the tamasha programme. My son was among those who intervened to stop the brawl. It is a lie to say that my son assaulted and thrashed him. We have no connection with the suicide. The case is false. We have complete faith in the law. Truth will prevail.”

Police sources said given the caste angle and the shadow of the 2016 incident, the case was being handled sensitively.

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The 2016 rape-murder case

The gangrape and murder of the 14-year-old Maratha girl, allegedly by Dalit men from the village, had set off protests across Maharashtra’s towns and villages.

As per police records, around 6.45 pm on July 13, 2016, the victim was returning home on a bicycle from her grandfather’s house when the three accused stopped the girl and sexually assaulted her before murdering her.

A day later, police arrested three Dalit men in the case and booked them under sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and IPC sections related to murder. In November 2017, the Ahmednagar district and sessions court awarded death sentences to all three. In September last year, the main accused in the gangrape-murder case, allegedly died by suicide at Yerwada Central Prison in Pune. He is the cousin of the Dalit man who died by suicide last week.

The father of the Dalit man told The Indian Express, “We never supported our relative who got death sentence for the rape and murder of the minor girl. Still, my son, who worked as a peon at the gram panchayat office, lost his job. Those who are responsible for my son’s death are powerful people. The main accused (the brother of the minor who was raped and killed in 2016) is an influential person and walks around with a pistol.”

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The father of the main accused in the suicide case says, “Owing to threats following my daughter’s death, my son got a gun licence from the government. It was never misused. We have good relations with all communities in the village,” he said.

Chandan Haygunde

Chandan Haygunde is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With over 20 years of experience in journalism, he is one of the region's most authoritative voices on crime, national security, and legal affairs. Professional Profile Specialization: He specialises covering issues related to Crime, Courts, National Security and Human Rights. He has done investigative reporting on incidents of terrorism, left wing extremism, espionage cases, wildlife crimes, narcotics racket, cyber crimes and sensational murder cases in Pune and other parts of Maharashtra. While working on the ‘Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) Fellowship on Tigers, Tiger Habitats and Conservation’ in 2012, he reported extensively on the illegal activities in the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra. He is at the helm of the widely read weekly series “Pune Crime Files”. He is widely recognized for his deep-dive coverage of the cases related to the Koregaon Bhima violence in Pune and the Elgaar Parishad investigation. Key Beats: His portfolio includes covering crimes mainly under the jurisdiction of Pune City, Pune rural and Pimpri Chinchwad Police, along with the sensitive cases from the state, being investigated by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Background: Before his long tenure at The Indian Express, he worked with other Marathi and English publications, giving him a unique grassroots understanding of Maharashtra's socio-political landscape. Awards and Recognition: He got the CMS PANOS Young Environment Journalist Award in January 2014 for investigative reports on illegal activities in Sahyadri Tiger Rerserve. He received the award for outstanding investigative journalism by the Lokmat group in Pune in January 2020, “Missing since 2010, Pune youth a ‘Maoist Commander’ in Chhattisgarh”, which appeared on July 9, 2019. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) In recent months, Chandan’s reporting has focused on high-profile terror case investigations, inter-state firearms racket, leopard movements in Pune city, cyber scams and hearings of the Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry. 1. High-Profile crimes and terrorism cases “Techie linked to Al-Qaeda preached democracy is against Shariat” (Nov 17, 2025). Reporting on the ongoing investigation into the arrest of IT professional Zubair Hangargekar (37) from Pune for alleged terror links. “The case against Jyoti Jagtap, member of ‘Maoist front’ Kabir Kala Manch and Elgaar Parishad organiser, granted interim bail by apex court” (Nov 20, 2025) Tracking the updates in the high profile Elgaar Parishad case related to the alleged naxal activities in urban areas. “How NIA arrested doctor turned ‘ISIS recruiter’ in Maharashtra terror module case” (Nov 24, 2025) After the arrest of doctors in Delhi Red Fort blast, a report on alleged terror links of a consulting anaesthetist from a Pune hospital. “A year after loco pilot averts tragedy by spotting gas cylinder on railway track, probe still inconclusive” (Dec 8, 2025). Report on the unsolved case of a suspected sabotage incident, which could have derailed a train. “No records of Sambhaji Maharaj’s cremation available: Author, ex-IAS officer Vishwas Patil tells Koregaon Bhima panel” (Dec 1, 2025) Reporting on a sensitive issue related to the Koregaon Bhima violence. 2. Inter-state firearms racket "Pune police swoop down on ‘village of pistols’ in Madhya Pradesh; 36 detained, 50 kilns destroyed" (Nov 22, 2025) "Recce a week before, microplanning: how Pune police raided ‘village of pistols’ in MP" (Nov 24, 2025) Reporting on the illegal gun manufacturing units in Umarti village, Madhya Pradesh 3. Cybercrime & Financial Scams “Pimpri Chinchwad police arrest ‘bank account supplier’ with links to China, nationwide cyber scams" (Nov 27, 2025) An investigative look at the modus opernadi of international cyber-gangs cheating high-earning professionals across the country ‘Your case linked to Pahalgam terrorist’: Pune businessman loses Rs 1.44 crore to fraudster posing as NIA chief" (Oct 18, 2025) Report on the tricks played on cyber scammers cheating people through digital arrest frauds Signature Style: The Investigative Hit Chandan is known for his ability to cultivate deep-cover sources within the police and intelligence agencies. His writing often goes beyond the "police version" of events, providing historical context and identifying systemic lapses. He is particularly respected for his balanced reporting on sensitive communal issues and his persistent tracking of the Maoist urban-link cases, making his columns essential reading for legal experts and policymakers. X (Twitter): @chandan_pune ... Read More

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