Palghar lynching: Tribal, who was among hundreds questioned by cops, found dead in jungle

MUMBAI: A 32-year-old tribal who was among the many locals questioned for his role in the Palghar lynching case that killed three men, including two seers, in a Kasa village in April was found hanging from a tree in the jungle on Saturday.
While Vinsu Dhangada, a resident of Divshi Chinchpada, in Gadchinchale village, Kasa, where the lynching took place, did not leave behind a suicide note, his family,comprising of parents, wife and four children, told the police that he was depressed after being questioned by the cops and feared that his name would make it to the list of suspects.
Dhangada, a farmer, had left home on Friday night. When he did not return the next morning, his family and villagers went looking for him. He was found hanging from a tree in the nearby jungle.
He was taken to the Kasa rural hospital but declared dead on admission. The Kasa police registered an accidental death case.
The seers Kalpavriksha Giri Maharaj (70) and Sushil Giri Maharaj (35) and their driver Nilesh Telgade (30) were heading to Surat for a funeral when they were lynched by a mob on April 16. The mob fury was captured on the closed circuit television (CCTV) of the forest department.
A total of 110 villagers, including nine minors were arrested a day after the crime based on CCTV footages. Thereafter, the police launched a search for other suspects. Around 500 unidentified tribals were named in three FIRs.
The case was handed over to the state Crime Investigation Department (CID). Cops have been visiting the village since the incident and questioning locals.
Dhangada along with other villagers were questioned on a few occasions last month. He had then claimed to not have been part of the mob. Many villagers had fled into the jungles and neighbouring state Gujarat and Dadra and Nagar Haveli fearing arrests.
Last month, when state home minister Anil Deshmukh visited the village, locals alleged that innocent people were being picked up and questioned.
So far over 160 men have been arrested and remanded to police and jail custody so far. Families of many of those arrested have alleged being charged despite not being at the crime scene.
The nylon rope used to hang has been seized. Police are awaiting the autopsy report.