'Why Is Govt Silent?': Priyanka Gandhi Meets Kin of Agra Man Who Died in Custody

Arun Kumar, belonging to the Valmiki community, had died during police interrogation in Agra.

Priyanka Gandhi on Thursday, 20 October, met the kin of deceased sanitation work Arun Kumar.

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/Congress)

Video Producer: Mayank Chawla
Video Editor: Abhishek Sharma

After being briefly halted and detained by UP police on Wednesday, 20 October, Congress National General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra travelled to Agra to meet the family of a sanitation worker who had died in police custody.

"There are so many atrocities happening with the poor family here and we are all silent. Why is the government silent? The family told me that by handing them 10 lakhs, the government thinks that they will remain silent, but all they want is justice," Gandhi told the media after meeting Kumar's family.

Gandhi also announced a compensation of Rs 30 lakh for the kin of the deceased.

Arun Kumar, belonging to the Valmiki community, had been accused of having stolen Rs 25 lakh from the Jagdishpur police station, He had died during police interrogation in Agra on Tuesday, 19 October.

"Not a single family member was present at the postmortem, the postmortem report has not been given to the family. The text was shown to the brother, he was made to sign, even though he does not know how to read, he does not even know what has been signed," Priyanka Gandhi told reporters after meeting Kumar's kin.

"Congress General Secretary Smt Priyanka Gandhi Ji met the family members of Arun Valmiki, who died of police brutality in police custody and shared their pain. Arun Valmiki's family wants justice not compensation, we are with the family in the fight for justice," the Congress tweeted.

According to reports and visuals doing the rounds on the internet, the Congress leader, had, on her way to meet Kumar's family, stopped her convoy to give first aid to a woman who met had with an accident in Gomti Nagar.

When UP Police Stopped Priyanka

Priyanka on Wednesday had been briefly stopped by the Uttar Pradesh Police from travelling to Agra to meet the kin of a Dalit man who had allegedly died in police custody. She was also reportedly taken to Police Lines, with the UP police stating as per ANI:

"Section 144 is imposed...Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is being taken to Police Lines. She will not be allowed to proceed to Agra."

Taking to Twitter, shortly after being halted by the cops, Priyanka Gandhi had said:

"Arun Valmiki died in police custody. His family is seeking justice. I want to visit that family. What is the UP government afraid of? Why am I being stopped? Today is Lord Valmiki Jayanti... PM Modi spoke a lot on Buddha but is attacking his message."

Prior to this, Priyanka Gandhi was quoted by ANI as saying:

"They say I can't go to Agra. They stop me wherever I go. Should I keep sitting in restaurants? Just because it is politically convenient for them? I want to meet them, what is the big deal?"

Priyanka Gandhi's Selfie With Policewomen

Gandhi had also paused for selfies with a group of policewomen on her way to Agra.

Later on Wednesday evening, Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi, "I am hearing that Yogi ji is so hurt with this picture that he wants to take action against these policewomen. If it is a crime to take pictures with me, then I should the one who is punished for it. It does not suit the government to spoil the career of these hardworking and loyal policewomen."

'BJP is Killing Constitutional Rights': Congress

"BJP is killing constitutional rights, crushing the voices of justice," the Congress had said in a tweet, sharing a video of Priyanka Gandhi's convoy being stopped by the Uttar Pradesh police.

Previously, Priyanka Gandhi had been detained by the Uttar Pradesh Police while on her way to Lakhimpur to meet the kin of the farmers who had died in the 3 October unrest in the district.

(With inputs from ANI)