Family says he died due to brain injuries sustained that day, a claim that police deparment denies



Constable Santosh Hande (36), who was injured in last year’s Azad Maidan riots, breathed his last on Thursday evening. While his family claimed that he died because of the injuries sustained during the riots, police stated that Hande may have died of some other medical condition.



Hande used to work as an operator for Azad Maidan. According to his family, on that fateful August day, senior inspector Anil Dhole was on duty when the riots broke out. At the time, Hande was accompanying DCP R Shisve and was in his circle. As the mob launched an attack, Hande intervened and was hit. According to his colleagues who were present at the time of the incident, Hande was hit on the head and neck. He was admitted to a hospital, from where he was discharged the very next day. But soon he started having headaches and neck pain, and would often skip work.



His condition deteriorated and a month later, he was admitted to hospital where he was diagnosed with brain infection. In the ICU, he slipped into coma and also developed severe blood infection or septicemia. After four months of treatment, he was taken to his native place in Sangli, where he breathed his last.



Raja Ram

Police department now claims that since Hande did not seek treatment immediately after the riots, he might have died of other causes. “It is still unclear if his infection was due to the assault on him during the riots or some other reason,” said an official.His wife Manisha, meanwhile, said, “He did not have any problem and was absolutely fine. It was only after the riots that he started having trouble. He stopped going to work from the very next day. All I want now is to be left alone. We do not have any complaints against anyone. What has happened has happened. I am not expecting anything from anyone.”His brotherHande, who works as a constable in DG office control room, said, “On what basis do we fight with the department. He was not admitted immediately after the riots. They can easily deny that he was injured in the riots. Unfortunately he refused treatment at the time and now we have no proof.”DCP Satyanarayan Chaudhary, Mumbai police spokesperson, said, “It’s very sad to know about the death of the constable. He was a brave man and we are with his family in their bad time. The department will do whatever best it can for them.”