Yogesh Sarikhda, one of the Dalits >who had consumed acid mixed with pesticide to protest public flogging of Dalits in Gujarat, died during treatment in Ahmedabad on Sunday morning.
The 23-year-old was one of the two dozen people who had attempted suicide, consuming poisonous substances during protests in Saurashtra against atrocity on Dalits in a village near Una by cow vigilante group members on July 11.
The Una incident has triggered a tsunami of Dalit protests that continue even today in the the state. "We brought him from Rajkot to Ahmedabad because his condition deteriorated there. Here he was declared dead in the morning," said his relative who informed media about his death.
Mahendra Solanki, a member of Dalit community from Rajkot, said that Yogesh belonged to Moti Parabadi village of Rajkot district.
"Another Rohit Vemula has died protesting against atrocities on Dalits," Mr. Solanki said comparing his death with suicide of Hyderabad University student Rohith Vemula.
