Uttarakhand: Politics Heats Up Over Youth’s Death Due to Police Brutality; Godiyal Demands Impartial Inquiry and Justice

Congress State President Ganesh Godiyal visited Raitpur village in the Satpuli block of Pauri district to meet with the family members of the late Pankaj Kumar—a young man who allegedly committed suicide due to police harassment—and offered them his condolences. After obtaining full details of the incident from the local police, he demanded that the Chief Minister order an inquiry into the matter and ensure that justice is delivered to the bereaved family.

Godiyal Writes to CM Dhami

Upon reaching Satpuli, Congress President Ganesh Godiyal gathered comprehensive information regarding the incident. Furthermore, he held discussions with local police officials and demanded that the bereaved family be treated with fairness and justice. Following his meetings with the family members and local residents, Godiyal wrote a letter to Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, demanding an impartial inquiry into the entire affair and calling for legal action to be taken against those found guilty.

In his letter, Godiyal stated that an extremely grave and tragic incident has come to light involving a young man from Raitpur village in the Satpuli region of Pauri Garhwal, who allegedly committed suicide after being driven to despair by police brutality. This incident is not only distressing from a humanitarian perspective but also raises serious questions regarding the state’s law and order situation and police conduct.

Congress Terms Incident ‘Condemnable’

Godiyal asserted that, based on information received from local residents and the deceased’s family members—as well as a video clip recorded by the victim prior to his death, which is currently going viral on social media—the young man was taken to the police station and physically tortured by the police following a collision with an individual during a motorcycle accident. This alleged mistreatment ultimately compelled him to take the drastic step of ending his own life. If these allegations prove to be true, such conduct is utterly reprehensible and entirely unacceptable within a democratic framework.

Reference to Past Incidents

Godiyal noted that, prior to this, the family members of Balam Bisht—a resident of Khairna in Nainital—had leveled allegations against the police, accusing them of physical assault and inhumane treatment. In that instance, the deceased’s family alleged that he had taken his own life as a result of the trauma inflicted by the police’s physical abuse. Furthermore, a short while ago, Keshav Thalwal—a resident of Lambgaon in Tehri—had accused the police of forcibly detaining him, taking him to a police outpost, and subjecting him to torture and inhumane treatment.

Ganesh Godiyal stated that, over the past two years, such incidents of alleged police brutality have raised serious questions regarding the state’s law and order situation as well as the functioning of the police force. It appears that the general public is losing faith in the police system. To prevent the recurrence of such incidents in the future, concrete measures must be taken to ensure sensitivity and accountability within the police department.