He was removed by the Police in the early hours of Friday Ravi Gautam (holding the portrait of Bhagat Singh) announced indefinite hunger strike on Thursday.
Meerut : Hours after Dalit lawyer Ravi Gautam began a hunger strike at Commissionary Park on Thursday, demanding the termination of former SSP Avinash Pandey and registration of an FIR against him over the July 8 violence, police removed him from the site in the early hours of Friday, citing deteriorating health. Gautam had been staging a sit-in at the park since Aug 20 and had accused SSP Pandey of assaulting him inside a police van. A video that surfaced later shows Gautam saying he was in good health when he was removed, apparently contradicting the reason cited by police.
The July 8 violence followed a Dalit protest over what demonstrators alleged was a flawed police investigation into the death of a student in May. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Meerut | Silver Rate in Meerut | Bank Holidays in Meerut | Public Holidays in Meerut | Meerut AQI | Weather in Meerut | Petrol Price in Meerut | Diesel Price in Meerut | CNG Price in Meerut | LPG Price in Meerut Stay updated with the latest Meerut news.
Civil Lines CO Vishwa Jyoti Rai told TOI, “Ravi Gautam’s medical examination was conducted, and the report reflected considerable deterioration in his health. Following standard operating procedure, he was moved to a higher medical centre in Ghaziabad to ensure that he received appropriate care. By Friday morning, the tent erected for the protest had been dismantled. Gautam accused the govt and the administration of ignoring his demands and urged Dalit leaders aligned with BJP to speak openly on issues affecting the community. The protest turned violent, with multiple videos circulating on social media purportedly showing SSP Pandey assaulting Gautam inside a police van. Pandey was subsequently attached to Lucknow headquarters after an SP functionary and his Dalit associate levelled serious allegations of police brutality against him in connection with the incident. Download the TOI App.
After Gautam announced his hunger strike on Thursday afternoon, several workers of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ambedkar faction) gathered at Commissionary Park in solidarity.