Dalit man set ablaze by four succumbs in Rajkot

Rajkot: A Dalit man, who was set ablaze by four persons near Veraval on February 23, succumbed to the burns in Rajkot on Thursday.
The victim Bharat Gohel (23), died in the Rajkot Civil Hospital where he was admitted after being injured in the attack by four persons of Ahir community in Ambaliyara village of Veraval taluka.

His family members admitted that the burn wounds were not life threatening and he was recovering till Thursday morning. However, in the evening, he complained of pain in the legs and breathed his last. They alleged medical negligence on the part of the hospital staff.

His family members have refused to accept the body until the four accused are arrested.

On February 23, Gohel was returning home in his newly purchased car at around 9:30am when four persons led by Devayat Ahir waylaid him near Ahir Samaj Wadi. They poured petrol on his car and set it ablaze. Gohel somehow managed to jump out of the car and tried to escape but one of the assailants threw a petrol bottle at him, which hit him on his back. When he fell down, one of them threw a burning matchstick on his back.

The passers-by took Gohel to Veraval civil hospital from where he was shifted to Rajkot.

His younger brother Manoj, who works with the postal department, told media persons outside the civil hospital that Gohel had purchased Chevrolet Enjoy car on OLX. It is suspected that one of the four accused was involved in the deal. Gohel wanted to start a car rental business.

Manoj said that his brother had paid Rs 2.5 lakh . The pending amount was Rs 30,000 and Rs 26,160 as insurance. The four persons were threatening him to pay up the remaining amount immediately.

Around a month back, Gohel had also given an application of complaint to the Veraval police station alleging that Devayat and others were threatening him.

Gohel was married three years ago and has an 18-month-old son.