Gujarat dalit death: Jignesh Mevani detained

AHMEDABAD: Protesters blocked roads and held rallies in several parts of Gujarat on Sunday, including capital Gandhinagar, Ahmedabad, and Patan in Mehsana district against the failure of the authorities concerned to prevent suicide by Dalit activist Bhanubhai Vanakar on Friday, police said.

The protests were held after police detained Dalit leader and independent MLA Jignesh Mevani, and over 70 others, in Saraspur area of Ahmedabad this morning when they tried to stage demonstrations over Vanakar's death. City crime branch officials claimed that Mevani did “not behave properly” with the police during his detention.

However, the MLA tweeted he was pulled out of a car by police in a “very uncivilised manner”. Vanakar (62) had set himself ablaze outside the Patan Collector's office on February 15 seeking allotment of land to a Dalit family. He died of burn injuries at a private hospital in Ahmedabad the next day. His body is still lying at Gandhinagar civil hospital as his kin refused to accept it. Earlier on Saturday, Mevani appealed to Dalits to gather at Sarangpur circle on Sunday morning for protests. Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) J K Bhatt said Mevani did not co-operate with police for maintaining peace in the city.