Lucknow: Uncle of Congress worker who died during protest accuses party for negligence

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The uncle of the 28-year old Congress worker who died during the party's protest in Lucknow said that his "unconscious" nephew should have been rushed to a doctor, and that if everyone in the party office had paid attention, his nephew's life could have been saved, PTI reported.

Prabhat Pandey, a Gorakhpur resident, died during the Congress protest near the Uttar Pradesh Assembly in Lucknow on Wednesday.

Speaking to PTI reporters on Thursday, Manish Pandey said that he received a call from the Congress office on Wednesday informing him that his nephew was unconscious and not moving. The caller asked him to come to the office.

Manish Pandey then sent an acquaintance to the Congress office in order to investigate.

"Congress workers took him to a hospital, where he was declared dead. Had people there paid attention, his life could have been saved. According to the post-mortem examination report, both of his (Prabhat Pandey) lungs had become blocked. Due to suffocation, he was unable to breathe, and he died as a result," Manish Pandey said.

Pandey also claimed that Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge had called him to express his condolences. "However, condolences will not suffice. My child (nephew) has gone," he said.

Prabhat, who served as the secretary of the Youth Congress, was living with his uncle in Lucknow while pursuing a computer course, PTI reported.

According to PTI, his funeral had turned chaotic on Thursday after Uttar Pradesh Congress Chief Ajay Rai arrived to pay his respects. Locals reacted angrily, condemning Rai for exploiting the tragedy for political gain.

While Rai has claimed that Prabhat died due to "police brutality," the police said he was brought dead to the hospital from the Congress office.

"Prabhat Pandey was brought to the Civil Hospital in Hazratganj in an unconscious condition from the Congress office. The doctors declared him dead on arrival," DCP (Central Lucknow) Raveena Tyagi said.

"According to doctors, there were no visible injury marks on his body," he added.

Police have registered an FIR in the matter and stated that further legal proceedings will follow. They have also requested the people to refrain from spreading rumors.

Congress leaders have criticised the police's use of force against the party workers during the protest in Uttar Pradesh and Assam on Wednesday, which led to the deaths of two Congress members, PTI reported.

(With inputs from PTI)