The opposition Congress in Gujarat on Sunday demanded a CBI probe into the custodial death of Patidar youth Ketan Patel in Mehsana. The party has joined the Patidar community and family of the deceased in demanding a probe by the Central agency, alleging that Ketan died of police beating in custody.
On Sunday, a Congress delegation led by party in-charge Ashok Gehlot met Governor O.P. Kohli to submit a memorandum demanding a CBI probe. State Congress president Bharatsinh Solanki and Leader of the Opposition Shankarsinh Vaghela were also part of the delegation.
“We have demanded a CBI probe because the person has died in Gujarat police custody,” Mr. Gehlot told media persons in Gandhinagar.
Subsequently, Mr. Vaghela met the family members of Ketan in the Mehsana civil hospital. Following the death of Ketan, who was earlier arrested in a petty theft case, tempers in north Gujarat town soared as the Patidar community alleged that the police had killed Ketan in custody, a charge the local police have rejected.
Two autopsies
The family of the deceased refused to accept the body even after two autopsies were conducted by a panel of doctors in the Mehsana civil hospital.
According to sources, the post-mortem reports have revealed that Ketan died of multiple injuries due to excessive beating by the police. However, the State authorities have not revealed the contents of the autopsy reports.
After the death, there were a few incidents of violence, as Patidars torched two buses and a portion of the Mehsaha civic body’s office.
