According to sources, Dalit Leader Dr. Sushil Gautam was taken into police custody, along with five others in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh. However, all of them have now been let off by the police. The police have agreed to take action against all the accused persons in the case of the murder of the Dalit student, Rohit.
A Dalit Mahapanchayat of 52 villages, organized by the Dalit Sangharsh Morcha and supported by Bhim Army, was being held in Meerut today. Dr Sushil Gautam is a part of the Dalit Sangharsh Morcha.
The Mahapanchayat was called in protest of the murder of 19-year-old Rohit who was fatally wounded in a stone pelting by Rajput men in Meerut’s Ganganagar, after he had protested the harassment of a girl by upper caste boys. The family of the victim was reportedly under pressure to withdraw the FIR.
Dr. Gautam was leading the protest in Meerut when he was picked up by the police. The police let him and the five others off after accepting their demands, and assured them a meeting with the Meerut DM, where they can raise their grievances.