Family members of Dalit activist Bhanu Vankar on Monday agreed to take his body after the Gujarat administration gave a written assurance that their demands would be fulfilled, PTI reported. Vankar had set himself on fire on Thursday in front of the Patan collector’s office demanding allotment of land to a Dalit family. He died of his injuries at a hospital on Friday night.
Dalits in Patan district have been demanding allotment of land for the past three years under a government scheme. Some of them have even deposited money with the government. “Possession of land already allocated to Dalit community members will be handed over in the next six months,” the letter signed by Gandhinagar District Collector Satish Patel and Superintendent of Police Virendra Yadav read. It added that a Special Investigation Team would be formed to inquire into Vankar’s death.
The activist’s body was taken to his hometown of Unjha in Mehasana district and the last rites will be performed later in the days, Dalit Adhikar Manch member Subodh Parmar said.
The Ahmedabad Police on Sunday detained Gujarat MLA and Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani while he was on his way to attend an event in favour of Vankar. Protestors set a vehicle ablaze in Ahmedabad to demonstrate against the alleged delay in allotment of land and Vankar’s death.
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