2012 Thangadh Killings: Victim’s Father Dies by Suicide, Family Blames ‘Delay in Justice’
New Delhi: The father of a Pankaj Sumra, who was among the three men killed in 2012 during police action after a clash between Dalit and non-Dalit communities in Thangadh, allegedly died by suicide last week, not far from a memorial erected in memory of the youths, the Indian Express reported.
Amarshi Sumra’s body was found near the Buddh Vihar Smarak, a memorial to Pankaj and the two other youths – Prakash Parmar and Mehul Rathod – who were killed in the 2012 firing.
“Amarshi Lakha Sumra, the 53-year-old father of Pankaj Sumra, died at 10.21 pm on August 26 after he was run over by the 12268 Hapa-Mumbai Central Duronto Express as the train crossed Thangadh,” ASI Jagdish Dhoraliya of Government Railway Police, Surendranagar, told the Indian Express.
“We believe it is the delay in justice that finally took the life of Amarshi Sumra, just like it did of Babubhai Parmar a decade ago,” said Valji Rathod, the father of Mehul Rathod, who also died in the same clash as Pankaj.
Delayed justice
Pankaj, Mehul and Prakash Parmar were allegedly killed by police in two incidents on September 22 and 23, 2012. The incidents followed a clash between Dalit and non-Dalit groups during the Tarnetar fair in Thangadh.
Fourteen years later, their families continue to await justice, with only one of the three grieving fathers alive today.
On September 22, 2012 an argument broke out between groups of young men during the fair. Police used tear gas and opened fire to disperse the crowd. A bullet allegedly struck Pankaj in the back. He was taken to hospitals in Surendranagar and Rajkot, where he was declared dead.
The following day, members of the Dalit community protested and police allegedly opened fire again. Mehul and Prakash were killed during the alleged police action, while another Dalit youth, 25-year-old Chana Vaniya, was injured.
The Gujarat government ordered an inquiry in 2012 under Sanjay Prasad, then principal secretary in the Social Justice and Empowerment Department. Prasad submitted his report in May 2013, but its findings were never made public, the Indian Express reported.
The report was referred to as being “under consideration of the state government” in written replies to questions raised in the Gujarat Assembly in 2016 and 2017.
According to the Indian Express, several FIRs were registered in connection with the killings. Three were filed by members of the Dalit community against four policemen, accusing them of killing the three youths, while other FIRs were registered against members of the Dalit community.
CID found use of AK-47 rifles
A CID (Crime) investigation found that police had used AK-47 rifles while firing at protesters. Following protests and recommendations from cabinet members, the Gujarat government set up a three-member Special Investigation Team in August 2016 under IPS officer Anupam Singh Gahlaut.
The SIT filed a chargesheet in the case concerning Pankaj’s alleged killing, with his mother Baluben as the complainant. The cases concerning Mehul and Prakash were closed, the paper reported.
Three of the four policemen accused in Pankaj’s killing are facing trial in the Surendranagar district court. The case is currently at the stage of recording prosecution evidence.
The families have continued to demand the release of the inquiry report and action in the cases. Mehul’s mother Chandrika Rathod said the family approached the Gujarat High Court in 2017 and has repeatedly protested in Delhi, Gandhinagar and Thangadh.
She said no chargesheets had been filed in the cases concerning Mehul and Prakash, while the trial in Pankaj’s case had continued for about five years.
Amarshi’s death has left Pankaj’s mother Baluben alone in Thangadh. Pankaj’s sister is married and lives in Rajkot. Prakash is survived by his wife Geeta, their 18-year-old son Harsh, his mother Manju and two elder brothers, the paper reported.
The Tarnetar fair, where the 2012 clash took place, is scheduled to be held from September 14-16 this year.
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