Channi reaches Hisar to amplify Rahul’s attack over Dalit youth’s death

Hisar: The last rites of the Dalit youth, who died in a suspicious manner here, are likely to be held on Friday after his family and the administration are understood to have reached an agreement concerning some demands of the kin, sources said.

Ganesh (16) died on July 7 in a suspicious manner when police went to a residential area to stop the "loud music" being played late at night by a family during a birthday party.

The family has not yet held the last rites, despite 10 days having passed, as they had been demanding action against the erring policemen, alleging it was murder.

Former Punjab chief minister and Congress MP Charanjit Singh Channi, who reached Hisar on Thursday, demanded a CBI probe into the death of the youth.

Joined the protesting family of Ganesh Valmiki in Hisar, Haryana. A young Dalit boy was brutally dragged and beaten to death by the police; several others were seriously injured. Instead of delivering justice, the BJP government has filed an FIR against his grieving family. For… https://t.co/8HVlCT5o4g pic.twitter.com/gXA9haa9xp

— Charanjit Singh Channi (@CHARANJITCHANNI) July 17, 2025

Sources said the government has agreed to the family's demand to register an FIR on their complaint, while a job would be given to one member of the deceased's family. The last rites are likely to be held on Friday, they said.

Police had earlier said that when they approached the spot on July 7 to ask those playing the music to stop it, they were attacked by some, while a few youths climbed onto the roof of the house, and some suddenly jumped.

Those who fell from the roof were taken to a hospital for treatment, but Ganesh succumbed to his injuries.

However, the families of these youths had earlier claimed before reporters that the police had chased these youths onto the roof. They claimed that Ganesh was beaten and then pushed. However, the police had denied these accusations.

On Thursday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi raised the issue and alleged that the harassment meted out to Ganesh's family for seeking justice exposes the "ugly face of BJP-RSS's 'Manuwadi' system" that discriminates against Dalits.

During his visit to Hisar, Channi joined some of the family members of Ganesh, who, along with some others, have been sitting on a protest.

He alleged that the youth was brutally dragged and beaten to death by the police while several others were seriously injured.

"Instead of delivering justice, the BJP government has filed an FIR against his grieving family. They have been waiting for days to cremate his body. The anti-Dalit Haryana government remains silent and is protecting the culprits," the Congress leader alleged.

Earlier in the day, the deceased's family told Channi that they want "justice" to be done in the case. Citing the Haryana Honourable Disposal of Dead Body Act, 2025, the protesters told him that the administration may cremate the body forcibly.

Some of those sitting on the protest had claimed that a notice had been pasted at the house of the victim's family, saying that if the body is not cremated within 12 hours, then the last rites will be done by the police administration.

Notably, under the law, no family member shall himself use or allow the dead body to be used or instigate or give consent to any other person or group of persons to use the body for demonstration of any kind.

Channi consoled them and assured them that Rahul Gandhi and the entire Congress party stand behind them at this hour.

"I am surprised; can there be such a government if poor people play music to celebrate birthdays at home, the entire mohallah is beaten, and one life is lost. The government should register case against policemen. Inquiry should be held by the CBI," he told reporters.

Meanwhile, police have said that when they went to the area around 11:30 pm that night to get the "loud music" stopped, they were surrounded by a group that included some with a known criminal background, abused and pelted with stones.

Police said the officials were only performing their duty as loud music was being played on a speaker kept in the middle of the road, which was disturbing everyone and violating guidelines.

Officials said five police personnel were injured in the incident as they were attacked with sticks and stones.