Tribal youth beaten on suspicion of theft in Gujarat dies a day after friend

Ahmedabad: The second tribal youth, who was brutally beaten up by a group of six workers engaged in the construction of the National Tribal Museum at Gurudeshwar, about six km from the Statue of Unity in Kevadia in the Narmada district, succumbed to his injuries on Thursday morning.

Police said that Sanjay Tadvi, 35, a resident of Gabhana village in Garudeshwar taluka, passed away at the Rajpipla civil hospital during treatment. Earlier on Wednesday, Sanjay's friend Jayesh Tadvi was beaten to death at the construction site. On Wednesday, Sanjay had registered a complaint with the local police, saying that he had gone to the construction site with Jayesh to steal iron pipes to sell them as scrap for money.

In his statement, based on which FIR was registered, Sanjay said that the accused workers caught them at the site. They tied their hands, and after learning that they were tribals, two of the accused started beating them with PVC pipes and wooden sticks while the other four accused kicked and punched them. Jayesh collapsed and died on the spot.

Following the FIR, police arrested all six accused persons. They have been booked under Section 103(2) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), as well as for rioting, among other sections along with sections of Atrocity Act.

Meanwhile, AAP MLA from Dediapada Chaitar Vasava has called for a 'bandh' in Garudeshwar taluka on Friday to protest against the killings. He has sought Rs 1 crore compensation for the families of the victims and demanded that the construction company be named in the FIR.