Maharashtra Congress President Nana F. Patole has accused the BJP-led state government of suppressing investigations into the deaths of a Dalit man in police custody and a village headman in Beed. Patole, speaking at the AICC Special Session in Belagavi, criticized the government’s approach, predicting that the investigations would lead to predetermined outcomes.
“The government’s unwillingness to accept the truth is clear. The investigations appear to be compromised from the start,” said Patole.
The Congress leader referred to two recent incidents: the death of Somnath Vyankat Suryawanshi, a 35-year-old Dalit law student who died in police custody on December 15, and the murder of Santosh Pandit Deshmukh, a 45-year-old village headman killed on December 9 while resisting an extortion racket.
Suryawanshi was arrested following protests over the desecration of an Ambedkar statue in Parbhani. His family alleges he died due to police assault. Deshmukh’s murder has raised concerns over increasing lawlessness in Beed.
Prominent opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Sharad Pawar, have visited the victims’ families. Gandhi, during his visit on December 23, accused Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis of lying about Suryawanshi’s death in the Assembly. Sharad Pawar, who met both families on December 21, has demanded thorough investigations.
Patole echoed these demands while expressing distrust in the ongoing probes, including the involvement of the CID. “Even a CID probe won’t bring justice because the government machinery itself is complicit,” he said.
He condemned Suryawanshi’s death as a “murder” and described Deshmukh’s killing as an example of growing lawlessness. “This authoritarian regime has made it difficult to expect justice. That’s why the AICC Special Session and programs like ‘Nav Satyagraha’ are vital for the people and the Congress party,” Patole added.
