APRIL 20: Activist Lt Col (Retd) Pratap Save (55) died at the Hinduja Hospital this morning, a fortnight after he was allegdly beaten up by the local police in Umbergaon, on the Maharashtra-Gujarat border, for protesting against a port project. After failing to recover from the coma he slipped into on April 9, Save succumbed to multiple head injuries at around 11.30 am today. Following the post-mortem tonight, the body will be taken to Dehri, where the funeral is scheduled for early tomorrow.Distraught family members say that nothing will be the same for them again. Says Save's son Nikhilesh: ``It has come as a big shock for us and nothing can compensate the loss. Physically they might have just killed my father, but we are very worried about our grandfather and mother now.''Save's 90-year-old father, who has already had to deal with the death of his elder son, is heartbroken. Save's inconsolable wife has not had a drop of water or a morsel of food since afternoon.Save was allegedly beaten up by the police in custody on April 7 following a protest by villagers of the area against the survey work being carried out for the proposed port in Umbergaon. In police custody for a day, Save was allegedly tortured and was rushed to a local hospital the minute the local court granted him bail. He was then rushed to Mumbai and admitted to Hinduja Hospital with multiple head injuries. He was in a coma for two weeks.The Umbergaon Taluka Bundar Hatao Sangarsh Samiti has been up in arms against the port proposed by the Gujarat government at Umbergaon. Save was actively involved in trying to divining details of the project and its consequences on life in the coastal township.Speaking fondly of Save, villagers categorically state that Save never advocated violence and always advised them to approach the issue with patience. Enraged by the April 7 incident, they allege that the police attack was uncalled for. Recalling the sequence of events on that day, a member of the samiti says: ``We had gathered at the survy site and were discussing the issue when the polcie surrounded us and lobbed tear gas shells. Col Save was not even present and was picked up by the police from his residence in the middle of the night. He was not even allowed to change out of his night clothes.''The police however deny the charges saying they were forced to lathi-charge the gathering which had allegedly turned violent. Activists and members of the samiti will meet over the weekend and decide on their future course of action.
