'His life could have been saved': Uncle of Congress worker who died during Lucknow protest

Gorakhpur/Lucknow: The uncle of the 28-year-old Congress worker who died during the party’s protest in Lucknow said that his "unconscious" nephew should have been taken to a doctor, and if people in the party office had paid attention, his nephew's life could have been saved.

Prabhat Pandey, a native of Gorakhpur, died during the Congress protest near the Uttar Pradesh Assembly in Lucknow on Wednesday.

Speaking to reporters in Gorakhpur on Thursday, Manish Pandey said that he received a call from the Congress office on Wednesday informing him that his nephew was lying unconscious there and not moving. The caller asked him to come to the office.

Manish Pandey then sent an acquaintance to the Congress office to investigate.

"Congress workers took him to a hospital, where he was declared dead. Had people there paid attention, his life could have been saved. According to the post-mortem examination report, both of his (Prabhat Pandey’s) lungs had become blocked. Due to suffocation, he was unable to breathe, and he died as a result,” Manish Pandey said.

Pandey also said that Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge had called him to express his condolences. “However, condolences will not suffice. My child (nephew) has gone,” he said.

Prabhat, who served as the secretary of the Youth Congress, had been living with his uncle in Lucknow while pursuing a computer course.

His funeral had turned chaotic on Thursday after Uttar Pradesh Congress Chief Ajay Rai arrived to pay his respects. Locals reacted angrily, accusing Rai of exploiting the tragedy for political gain.

While Rai has claimed that Prabhat died due to "police brutality," the police said he was brought dead to the hospital from the Congress office.

"Prabhat Pandey was brought to the Civil Hospital in Hazratganj in an unconscious condition from the Congress office. The doctors declared him dead on arrival," DCP (Central Lucknow) Raveena Tyagi said.

"According to doctors, there were no visible injury marks on his body," he added.

Police have lodged an FIR in the matter and stated that further legal proceedings will follow. They also urged people to refrain from spreading rumours.

Congress leaders have strongly condemned the police's use of force against party workers during protests in Uttar Pradesh and Assam on Wednesday, which resulted in the deaths of two Congress members.