A 35-year-old law student and labourer, Somnath Veyankat Suryawanshi, died in Maharashtra’s Parbhani district jail just hours after being placed in judicial custody on December 14. Suryawanshi, a member of the Wadar community, was arrested during a police crackdown following violence triggered by the desecration of a Constitution replica on December 10.
Shahaji Umap, Special Inspector General of Nanded Range, said Suryawanshi complained of chest pain and was moved to Parbhani Civil Hospital, where he died. “He was not tortured,” Umap told The Wire, adding, “Please note that he is from a Nomadic Tribe, not Dalit.”
Activists and Suryawanshi’s lawyer, Pawan Jondhale, disputed the official account, alleging that Suryawanshi was beaten by police. “He had no role in the protests but was rounded up and assaulted. We sought bail because he had law exams, but he died before it could be heard,” Jondhale said.
Rahul Pradhan, an activist working in the affected areas, called the police actions a “witch hunt.” “The brutality is unimaginable. Many detainees have injuries but were denied medical care before being sent to custody,” he told The Wire.
Dalit and Bahujan settlements in Parbhani, including Priyadarshini Nagar and Bhim Nagar, have witnessed aggressive police raids since December 10. Videos circulating online show police beating men and women. One CCTV clip reportedly captures officers assaulting a woman, identified as Vachala Bhagwan Manavte, who says she was attacked after filming police violence. “They kicked me in the face and private parts,” said Manavte, currently hospitalized.
Two minor girls, both under 12, were named in one of the eight FIRs filed by police. “The police acted with anger and impunity, targeting marginalized communities,” Pradhan said.
Following Suryawanshi’s death, lawyers and activists protested outside Parbhani Civil Hospital, demanding an independent autopsy in Aurangabad and a judicial inquiry. “We need an in-camera inquest and accountability for this custodial death,” Jondhale stated.
