Lucknow: The death of a Congress worker during a protest near the Uttar Pradesh Assembly here on Wednesday triggered widespread protests in the state.
The 28-year-old Prabhat Pandey, a worker from Gorakhpur was declared dead upon arrival at the Civil Hospital following a clash between Congress workers and police in the capital city. The protest was held against Home Minister Amit Shah’s controversial remarks about BR Ambedkar.
Congress alleged that Prabhat died due to police excesses against protestors, although an initial probe indicated that “there were no visible injury marks on Prabhat's body,” and the cause of death is still unknown.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Central Raveena Tyagi said a case had been registered at Hussain Ganj Police Station, and interrogation of various people, including Congress leaders was started.
A police team, led by DCP Tyagi, reached the Congress headquarters on Thursday morning to investigate. “We have started the investigation to ascertain the actual cause of Prabhat’s death. A digital forensic team and other experts have also started questioning different people at Congress headquarters over the incident,” she said.
“We will also question the organisers of the protest, seize CCTV footage, and examine the deceased’s mobile phone as part of the probe,” she said.
After the police visited the party office, Congress workers demonstrated and shouted anti-government slogans, during which an effigy was set on fire. Congress worker Akshat Singh, the vice president of the Congress Youth Wing, also received burns in the incident.
Congress state president Ajay Rai also condemned the incident, alleging that Prabhat died as a result of police brutality. He demanded compensation for Pandey's family, including financial aid and a government job.
Protests Erupt in Meerut
Congress workers and leaders also held protests against Prabhat’s death in Meerut. They also handed over a memorandum addressed to the President to the Additional District Magistrate’s (ADM) office over Home Minister Amit Shah’s controversial statement about BR Ambedkar.
Congress Allegation
Congress MLA Aradhana Mishra also condemned the death and announced financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh to the family.
“We demand from the state government that financial assistance of one crore rupees should be given. Because he was the only child of an ordinary family. He must get justice. Police are investigating this matter; we will fully cooperate with them,” she told the media.
She alleged that the “unfortunate incident” happened as police lathi-charged the Congress workers on Wednesday. “Police tried to stop the workers forcefully. The worker got injured in police action as his health deteriorated during the police action and pushing,” she said.
Lucknow Police’s Response
The Lucknow Police denied using force on protestors in response to the accusations. They have urged people to rely solely on official sources and refrain from spreading misinformation.
“After the legal procedure, the police will guarantee a prompt and open inquiry. To maintain impartiality in the case, a group of medical professionals will perform Prabhat Pandey's postmortem with video. Those who spread false information and rumours about the incident will face legal action from the police," a senior official stated.
Read More
