Congress Condoles Worker’s Death Amidst Protest Tensions

A Congress delegation visited Deipar village, Gorakhpur, to comfort the family of Prabhat Pandey, who died during a protest. The delegation provided financial support, with Congress pledging to cover his sister's education and marriage. The party blames police actions, while authorities urge restraint in spreading rumors.

A Congress delegation, led by state unit vice president Vishwavijay Singh and district president Nirmala Paswan, visited Deipar village in Gorakhpur on Monday. They expressed condolences to the family of Prabhat Pandey, a Congress worker who died during a protest in Lucknow on December 18. A cheque of Rs 10 lakh was handed to his father, Deepak Pandey.

The Congress party announced it would fund Prabhat's sister's education and marriage, emphasizing support for the bereaved family. Vishwavijay Singh criticized the BJP for what he termed ''derogatory'' remarks concerning the incident.

Prabhat Pandey's death has been attributed by the UP unit chief Ajay Rai to ''police brutality.'' However, police, who have filed an FIR, caution against rumor-mongering. They report the 28-year-old was brought dead to the hospital, with no visible injuries. A videographed postmortem will be conducted.

(With inputs from agencies.)