Congress Worker Prabhat Pandey Dies During Protest Near Uttar Pradesh Assembly Amid Police Brutality Allegations

A Congress worker died during a protest near the Uttar Pradesh Assembly on Wednesday. The UP Congress unit chief, Ajay Rai, claimed police brutality was responsible for the death. Police have registered a murder case and announced that a panel of doctors will conduct a post-mortem. They urged people not to spread rumours about the incident.

Prabhat Pandey, aged 28 and from Gorakhpur, was declared dead upon arrival at the hospital. He was brought in an unconscious state from the Congress office to the Civil Hospital in Hazratganj. DCP Central Lucknow Raveena Tyagi stated that doctors found no visible injuries on his body. A post-mortem will be conducted with videography to ensure transparency.

Protest and Police Response

The Congress party was protesting against issues like farmer distress, unemployment, inflation, privatisation, and law and order in UP. Barricades were set up around the Assembly premises to prevent protesters from reaching the site. Traffic was severely affected due to route diversions in central Lucknow. The police cited restrictions under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) as the reason for stopping party workers from advancing beyond Mall Avenue office.

An FIR for murder under Section 103 of BNSS has been filed against an unknown person at Hussainganj police station regarding Pandey's death. Manish Kumar Pandey, Prabhat's uncle, filed a complaint after receiving a call about his nephew's condition. He sent Sandeep to investigate, who found Prabhat with cold extremities, indicating a medical emergency.

Family's Concerns and Demands

Despite efforts by Sandeep and others at the Congress office to help Prabhat, he was declared dead at the hospital. Manish Pandey claims his nephew had no known health issues and suspects foul play in his death. Ajay Rai demanded Rs 1 crore compensation and a government job for one family member of the deceased.

Ajay Rai expressed grief over the incident on social media, stating, "Today, while going to gherao the assembly, our young colleague Prabhat Pandey ji passed away due to police brutality." He added that the Congress family is hurt and angry by this incident and will not tolerate it.

Police Investigation and Public Advisory

The Lucknow Police issued a statement confirming Prabhat's death upon arrival at the hospital from the Congress State Party Office. Initial investigations revealed no external injuries on his body. The police have ordered a post-mortem to determine the exact cause of death.

The police clarified that no force was used on protesters during the demonstration at the Congress office. They warned against spreading false information that could disrupt law and order. The public is advised to rely only on official sources for updates.

The Police Commissionerate of Lucknow assured that all sentiments would be respected in this sensitive matter. They promised to take every possible step to maintain law and order while ensuring transparency in their investigation.