Why villagers in this Rajasthan village were agitated over the suspicious death of a Dalit youth, protesting for two days.
The family and the administration reached an agreement on a post-mortem. The administration assured an impartial investigation within two days, and Bhim Army leaders Rajendra Singh Dhandhal and Mangilal Meghvanshi ended the protest on Thursday.
Jalore – The suspicious death of Chetan Kumar, a 23-year-old Dalit youth, in Kaleti village of Bagoda tehsil in Jalore district, Rajasthan, has shaken the entire area. Chetan’s body, who had gone to guard his fields, was found hanging from a tree, but the family claims it is a case of murder, not suicide. Signs such as his feet touching the ground, the position of the rope, and nearby wires have made the death mysterious.
The family flatly refused to have a post-mortem conducted by a local medical board and insisted on calling a district-level team. The protest, villagers gathering, and administrative activity outside the Bagoda Community Health Center (CSC) mortuary continued until Thursday afternoon, but now there are reports of a compromise. Why did this incident spark a stir?
Went out to guard the field at night, body found in the morning
Everything seemed normal on Tuesday night. Chetan Kumar (23), son of Sanwalaram, was a resident of Kaleti village. He worked as a laborer on the farm of local farmer Lala Ram Chaudhary, where he was tending to the pomegranate crop. After dinner, Chetan left to guard the field. But around 7 a.m. on Wednesday, the farm owner, Lala Ram, informed the family that Chetan had committed suicide. Upon hearing this news, the family was devastated.
Family members Madanram (30), Tikaram, Tekaram, Bijlaram, Tolaram, and mother Manjudevi immediately rushed to the scene. The scene left everyone stunned. Chetan’s body was hanging from a tree. A rope was tied around his neck, but his feet were touching the ground. According to the family, only the neck was visible, suggesting murder rather than suicide. Madanram immediately took photographs and videotaped the scene, which clearly showed three wires lying nearby, touching the body. A heavy weight (bot) had also fallen to the ground, where the body had previously been empty. The family says, “He seemed to be breathing, so we cut the rope and brought him down. But this isn’t suicide; someone has tried to disguise it as a murder.”
Social activist Bhanwar Meghvanshi told The Mooknayak that the Bagoda police arrived at the scene and prepared a panchnama. The body was kept in the mortuary, but the postmortem process was halted. The family demanded a district-level medical team because they lacked trust in the local authorities. Madanram said, “Prima facie, it doesn’t appear to be a suicide. A thorough investigation should be conducted.” He belongs to the Meghwal community, and the incident sparked outrage among the Dalit community.
Hundreds of villagers gathered outside the CSC mortuary. Women, children, and the elderly were all shouting, and a sit-in began, which lasted two days. Bhim Army leaders Rajendra Singh Dhandal and Mangilal Meghvanshi also arrived at the scene. They said, “This isn’t just a death, it’s a symbol of the community’s suffering. The administration should conduct an impartial investigation, otherwise there will be a protest.”
According to the family, Chetan had no financial difficulties or mental problems. “He was the support of the family, why would he commit suicide?” They suspect someone else may have been involved in the murder. The wires and weights seen in the video further strengthened this suspicion.
Bagoda Police Station Officer Baldev Ram stated that a postmortem report has been filed under Section 194 BNSS (investigation into the cause of death) based on the family’s complaint. An investigation has begun into all aspects, including the possibility of murder. The police formed a three-member medical board, consisting of district-level doctors. Assistant Sub-Inspector Narsiram and other teams were constantly counseling the family.
Tensions were at their peak until Thursday afternoon. After several hours of persuasion, a consensus was reached between the family and the administration. The district medical board approved a postmortem. The administration assured a fair investigation within two days, after which Bhim Army leaders Rajendra Singh Dhandal and Mangilal Meghvanshi ended their protest. The body will be handed over to the family for last rites.
Geetha Sunil Pillai
Courtesy: Hindi News
