Death of man arrested after Parbhani violence: Protesters in Thane seek action against cops

Thane, Dec 16 (PTI) Several Dalit outfits protested in Thane on Monday against the death of a man arrested in connection with the December 10 violence in Parbhani district after a a glass-enclosed replica of the Constitution near Babasaheb Ambedkar's statue there was vandalised.

Somnath Venkat Suryawanshi (33) was among the more than 50 persons who were arrested in connection with the violence. He died at a hospital on Sunday morning after complaining of chest pain while he was lodged in Parbhani district central prison, as per police.

Among the groups that carried out a rally from the Thane district collectorate to the tehsil office was the People's Republican Party, whose leader Rajabhau Chavan said the Maharashtra government must give justice to Suryawanshi by dismissing the Parbhani superintendent of police and senior inspector.

"He did not die naturally. He was beaten to death by police," Chavan said, adding his party and likeminded outfits would carry out statewide protests if action is not taken immediately. PTI COR BNM