Mumbai: A judicial magistrate’s probe into Somnath Suryavanshi’s death in Parbhani had established last month that he endured serious physical abuse at the local police station, with law enforcement officers indicted for his death in custody. Suryavanshi, 35, died after being transferred to judicial custody at a state-run hospital in Parbhani on December 15 while in judicial custody, a day after he was held in police custody. Suryawanshi, to appear in his law examinations, was wrongfully detained because he was recording a video of the police’s reportedly unjust combing operations in the town, all of which took place in predominantly Dalit bastis. He was then arrested in connection with violence in the city over the desecration of a glass-encased replica of the Constitution. The police version had, from the start tried to obfuscate the truth, claiming that Suryavanshi died after taking ill.
The three-volume report of the Magisterial Inquiry that runs into 451 pages, was taken cognisance of the Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission (MSHRC) which stated at its hearing on March 20 that it had clubbed multiple complaints concerning the incident to “avoid conflicting orders”. As reported in The Times of India and The Hindu, the MSHRC following the March 20 hearing has stated, “Perusal of the report of the magisterial inquiry shows that the Ld. judicial magistrate has concluded that Somnath Vyankat Suryawanshi was assaulted at police station.”
Apart from the stark case of death in custody related to Somnath Suryawanshi that is being heard by the MSHRC, allegations of police lawlessness included the brute handling of women and minors during combing operations following an incident of “desecration of the Preamble” on Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar’s statute on December 10. Combing operations began on December 11 itself and thereafter police took close to three dozen persons into custody. It was late on December 14 that Somnath was transferred to judicial custody. There were severe marks on his person and those of others detained. Thereafter, Suryavanshi developed chest pain and breathing difficulties, leading to his death on Dec 15 at a hospital. A panel of medical officers performed a post-mortem, with the provisional report stating the cause of death as “shock following multiple injuries”. The post-mortem findings and CCTV camera footage gathered during the investigation were instrumental in establishing police involvement in the assault.
The magisterial report may also contain remedial steps taken in the matter and the compensation, if any, quantified by the state in the matter, stated the MSHRC. The Commission then issued notices to the state government and police officials, seeking their response on the findings. Besides, MSHRC also stated, as reported in sections of the media, that the report of additional director general and Prabhani superintendent of police (CID) must contain the progress of inquiry into the accidental death case and consequent registration of the crime in the matter. The matter will be next heard on June 23.
On January 23, an independent fact-finding report had been released by citizens, backed by Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP), uncovering a series of human rights violations and police atrocities in Parbhani, Maharashtra following the desecration of a Constitution replica on December 10, 2024. The incidents, marked by custodial violence, caste-based discrimination, and administrative failures, have shaken the conscience of the nation. The report, compiled by a team of legal experts, activists, and journalists, painted a sombre picture of systemic injustice against Dalit communities. The report is titledUnfettered Police Brutalities: PARBHANI –Fact-Finding Report on Allegations of Brute, Unlawful & Anti-Constitutional Conduct by Parbhani Police (December 10-15, 2024). “The report documents harrowing accounts of police combing operations in Dalit-majority areas like Bhim Nagar, Priyadarshini Nagar, and Sarang Nagar. Residents reported police breaking into homes, assaulting men and women, including minors and elderly individuals, and using caste-based slurs. Women recounted instances of extreme violence, including injuries on their private parts, and detainees were allegedly tortured in custody with blows to their feet and palms to conceal visible injuries. The brute violence and unchecked brutalities displayed by police during the beatings of women and the young in their homes during the combing operations and after that in custody have violated all laws and statutes including directions by the Supreme Court on police conduct towards those in custody.”
Now, in the latest developments, the MSHRC has issued notice to officers concerned, based on the magistrate’s findings. The MSHRC chairperson Justice A M Badar and its member Sanjay Kumar issued the directive after relying on and citing Parbhani judicial magistrate’s investigation report, seeking responses from chief secretary and senior officers over the issue, indicating that the magistrate “had indicted police officials in the custodial death of Somnath Venkat Suryawanshi.” According to the magistrate, Parbhani police officials named in his report are responsible for the custodial death of Suryawanshi, it added.
Suryavanshi’s brother, accompanied by his mother, appeared before the Commission and said they want to appoint their preferred advocate to pursue their complaint before the MSHRC. Earlier, the Suryavanshi family had declined a compensation of Rs 10 lakh offered by state govt. They had expressed disappointment over the token act of a mere suspension of the police personnel involved in the matter and had demanded that all 12 criminal complaints sought to be filed by the victim Dalit community including two by Vijayatai Suryawanshi, Somnath’s mother be registered as FIRs. They have also demanded that a case of culpable homicide be registered against the officers.
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Fact-Finding report on Parbhani violence raises serious questions