Dalit activist immolates self, critical

  • | Friday | 16th February, 2018

Palanpur: A 65-year-old Dalit rights activist Bhanubhai Vankar sustained critical burn injuries after he immolated himself in Patan collectorate campus on Thursday over regularizing of encroached agricultural land. Vankar has been fighting for Dalit rights since last 40 years and has also been campaigning against superstition in the society. While Ramabhai was rescued, Vankar, a former Talati hailing from Unjha in Mehsana district set himself ablaze. Vankar had also warned of self-immolation on February 15 if their demands were not met by Tuesday.”As the demands of Dalits were not met, two persons including Ramabhai, of Dudkha village and Vankar tried to immolate self by dousing themselves in kerosene. Another Dalit man Ramabhai also attempted immolation but was prevented by police personnel present there.According to police, Vankar sustained over 80% burns on his body and was shifted to a private hospital in Ahmedabad.A close relative of the victim, Ratilal Makwana, said, “On February 7, Vankar had given a memorandum to Patan collector urging him to regularize land of Dudkha village in Sami taluka of Patan.

Palanpur: A 65-year-old Dalit rights activist Bhanubhai Vankar sustained critical burn injuries after he immolated himself in Patan collectorate campus on Thursday over regularizing of encroached agricultural land. Another Dalit man Ramabhai also attempted immolation but was prevented by police personnel present there.According to police, Vankar sustained over 80% burns on his body and was shifted to a private hospital in Ahmedabad.A close relative of the victim, Ratilal Makwana, said, “On February 7, Vankar had given a memorandum to Patan collector urging him to regularize land of Dudkha village in Sami taluka of Patan. Vankar had also warned of self-immolation on February 15 if their demands were not met by Tuesday.”As the demands of Dalits were not met, two persons including Ramabhai, of Dudkha village and Vankar tried to immolate self by dousing themselves in kerosene. While Ramabhai was rescued, Vankar, a former Talati hailing from Unjha in Mehsana district set himself ablaze. His condition is said to be critical.Meanwhile, four Congress MLAs including Kirit Patel and Chadanji Thakor from Patan, Shailesh Parmar from Danilimda in Ahmedabad and Navsad Solanki from Dasada reached Patan and criticized the negligence on the part of local authorities.According to sources, despite a track of land which was regularized by the revenue department and necessary fee of Rs 22,236 paid, land was not registered in the name of the Dalits. Vankar has been fighting for Dalit rights since last 40 years and has also been campaigning against superstition in the society.

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