Bombay High Court Orders FIR in Custodial Death of Dalit Law Student Somnath Suryawanshi

The Aurangabad Bench of the Bombay High Court directed the Parbhani police to register an FIR within one week into the custodial death of 35-year-old Dalit law student Somnath Suryawanshi, who died in jail on December 15, 2024.

He was arrested during protests against the vandalisation of a replica of the Constitution of India. 

The Court noted post-mortem findings of “shock due to multiple injuries” and the police’s failure to comply with Lalita Kumari guidelines and ordered that the investigation be led by a Deputy Superintendent of Police. 

The matter is next listed for July 30. (Smt. Vijayabai Vyankat Suryawanshi v. State of Maharashtra & Others)