Parbhani man may have died due to shock from multiple injuries: Provisional postmortem report

Mumbai/Pune, Dec 16 (PTI) Shock due to multiple injuries may have caused the death of a 35-year-old man arrested in connection with the Parbhani violence triggered by the vandalism of a replica of the Constitution last week, a provisional postmortem report suggested on Monday.

Somnath Venkat Suryawanshi, a resident of Shankar Nagar in Parbhani, some 530 kilometres from here, was among more than 50 persons arrested in connection with the violence.

He died at 6:49 am on Sunday at a state-run hospital where he was rushed to after complaining of chest pain and uneasiness while he was in judicial custody and was lodged in Parbhani district central prison, as per police.

Largescale protests had degenerated into violence after a glass-enclosed replica of the Constitution near Babasaheb Ambedkar's statue outside Parbhani railway station was vandalised on the evening of December 10.

Police officials said an in-camera post mortem was conducted by a panel of six doctors at a state-run hospital in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.

Suryawanshi died due to shock following multiple injuries, the officials said quoting contents of the provisional post mortem report.

The report has mentioned that routine viscera has been preserved for chemical analysis, blood-soaked gauze pieces have been preserved for blood grouping, and organ pieces preserved for histopathological examination, the officials added.

The report has stated that an opinion will be given after receipt of more documents, and the investigating officer has been instructed to submit previous medical documents, if any, the officials informed.

The provisional postmortem report has gone viral on social media platforms amid protests by Ambedkarite outfits across the state seeking justice for the deceased and action against the police.

Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) chief Prakash Ambedkar posted the autopsy report on X.

Speaking to reporters in Parbhani after attending Suryawanshi's last rites, Ambedkar said, "The postmortem carried out by the forensic department revealed that his death was caused due to physical assault as there are multiple injuries".

Ambedkar said lathi-charge by police after the December 10 demonstration in Parbhani needs to be verified whether it was "coordinated or uncoordinated".

"I spoke to some officials who said their first preference is to maintain the law and order situation and ensure that peace prevailed. They said they will probe whether the chain of events was coordinated or uncoordinated," he said.

Ambedkar refused further comments, saying concrete details are awaited.

"Lathicharge by police at the site of the demonstration was justifiable but there are allegations that police assaulted people who were a km away from the riot venue. These allegations need to be probed," he added.

A bandh was observed in Parbhani and some villages in Latur district on Monday in protest against the desecration of the Constitution's replica and the death of Suryawanshi in judicial custody.

Since morning, several business establishments and shops in Latur city remained closed.

Activists submitted a memorandum of their demands to the Latur district collector demanding a CBI inquiry into Suryawanshi's death. They also demanded the registration of cases against police officials, and the withdrawal of alleged false charges against Ambedkarite women, youth, and students for rioting.

A shutdown was also observed in Ausa, Chakur, Renapur and Pangao villages in Latur district.

A protest rally was taken out in Ausa where business establishments and educational institutions remained closed.

Speaking on Parbhani violence and the murder of a sarpanch in the assembly, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, "I am sure the opposition will cooperate in suggesting ways to ensure such incidents don't repeat. Our government works by the Constitution and its insult will not be tolerated".

He said a mentally unstable person, who was involved in the desecration (of the Constitution replica) in Parbhani, has been arrested. PTI DC SPK COR BNM NSK