Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], October 12 : Protests erupted in the Vikas Nagar area of Lucknow on Saturday following the death of a 26-year-old Dalit man. Family members of the deceased, along with locals, blocked the road, demanding justice and action against those allegedly responsible for the crime.
The victim's elder sister, Sudha Gautam, and his wife, Roshni Gautam, were present at the protest, voicing their grievances about the handling of the case and the lack of timely action by the police authorities.
Sudha Gautam, the deceased's sister said, "It's been over 24 hours since my brother passed away, and you all are still upset and protesting, saying that our brother hasn't received justice. It's been 24 hours, and yet an FIR hasn't been filed. The culprits responsible for my brother's death are still on the run, and they haven't been brought to justice."
She further criticised the authorities for the 'delayed' post-mortem. "Regarding the post-mortem, we reached the hospital around 10:30 or 11 in the morning, but we had to wait the entire day. The post-mortem was finally conducted in the evening. In which Hindu scripture does it say that a cremation is done at night? On one hand, they claim to uphold Hindu values, while on the other, they suppress Hindus like us. Should we just stay silent?" she said.
Sudha added that the family is seeking written assurances from authorities regarding compensation and justice. "Our demand is simple: let any minister or authority come forward and give us a written assurance. My niece will get compensation, my sister-in-law will get a job. The culprits must be severely punished; only then will the people stop protesting here," she said.
She also accused the police of not being supportive during the ordeal. "The police haven't supported us once. They never said, 'We are with you, and we'll ensure your demands are met.' Instead, they argue and then step back. They try to call us in and reason with us, but then they resort to a lathi charge," Sudha said while addressing reporters on site.
Sudha claimed that women and children were being mistreated by the authorities, and said, "Every time a crime is committed, they suppress the voices. Women and children are being beaten up. Women and children have been oppressed, and nothing has changed. Our sister has been standing here since last night, constantly. Since yesterday, the children in our home haven't been able to sleep. The children are sleepless and hungry. A 2-year-old child has been without food or water since yesterday. The government says they care for children, but this Dalit family is being suppressed."
Roshni Gautam, the deceased's wife, is also demanding justice and support for her family. "We have been sitting here for a long time. We've been sitting here since morning, and now in the evening, we're still here. What will we do now? We can't proceed in the evening."
Roshni outlined her demands, emphasising the need for strict action and a job to support her family. "Our first demand is strict action against those responsible for the crime. I also need a job because I don't have any other option. I'm educated, but my daughter is still small and goes to school. How will we manage? We won't leave until we get something in writing," she said.
"It happened in front of them (police), so there's no escaping their responsibility," the deceased's wife said, adding, "You want us to leave the road, but we need something in writing. Without that, nothing will happen. How long will it take for you to give us a decision? We'll take the body tomorrow. After all the questioning and demands, we'll take the body tomorrow."
Reacting to the incident, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) National President, in a post on X, said, "The incident of the death of a Dalit youth due to police brutality yesterday evening, who had gone for a walk in Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar Park, located in Mohalla Ganjraha Purva of Lucknow, the capital of UP, is extremely sad. People are angry. The government should take strict action against the guilty policemen and also provide full assistance to the victim's family."
https://x.com/Mayawati/status/1845089593126768746
BJP leader Dinesh Sharma also responded to the incident. Speaking to ANI, he said, "If such an incident has occurred in Yogi's government, no one will be spared. Punitive actions will be taken so severely that the culprits' next three generations will remember. I am being apprised of the incident. I just came back from outside, so I am gathering information on what happened. But I can confidently say that punishment is guaranteed if this incident has taken place."
Authorities are yet to respond to the family's demands. The situation remains tense, with locals expressing anger over the alleged delayed actions and the lack of support from officials.