On Sunday, September 27, a young man named Deva Dwivedi hanged himself in Pateriya Majra, Garhchapa village, under the Manikpur police station area of Chitrakoot, Uttar Pradesh, over fear of being prosecuted under the SC/ST Act. Police received information about the incident, and they reached the spot. The body was taken for post-mortem examination, while an inquest report was also prepared.
थाना मानिकपुर अंतर्गत ग्राम गढ़चपा मजरा पतेरिया निवासी युवक द्वारा फांसी लगाये जाने के सम्बन्ध में अपर पुलिस अधीक्षक चित्रकूट श्री पीयूषकांत राय की वीडियो बाइट। pic.twitter.com/szRC1e0Pq4
— Chitrakoot Police (@chitrakootpol) September 28, 2026
Family links death to mental stress
Deva’s family has sought an impartial investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death. The family says an SC/ST Act case was registered against the 19-year-old at Manikpur police station in July. The case, numbered 108/2026, includes Sections 352 and 351(3) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) and Section 3(1)(d) of the SC/ST Act.
According to the family, Deva had been under mental stress since the case was registered. They also said that he had a dispute with neighbours after returning from work on September 25. The family believes the pressure and difficulties he faced from the earlier case need to be examined as part of the investigation.
Fresh case registered on family’s complaint
Following the family’s complaint, Manikpur police station registered another case, numbered 155/26, under Sections 108, 352 and 351(3) of the IPC. Police said the complaint is being investigated and that the facts surrounding the death will be established based on evidence and statements.
Chitrakoot Additional Superintendent of Police Piyushkant Rai said police have registered a case on the family’s complaint and are investigating the matter. He said the post-mortem report and the findings of the investigation will help determine the next course of action.
Police have not yet finalised charges in the new case. Officials said further action will depend on the post-mortem findings, evidence collected during the investigation and statements of people connected with the case.
The family has asked police to examine whether the earlier SC/ST Act case, the pressure Deva reportedly faced afterwards and his death were connected. The investigation is expected to establish the sequence of events and clarify the circumstances that led to the young man’s death.
SC/ST Act misuse for vengeance and compensation
The number of cases registered under the SC/ST Act have risen dramatically recently. The move came amid street protests and political-electoral compulsions, giving the law a reservation-like sacrosanctity.
A significant number of these cases later turned out to be fake, with motives ranging from seeking revenge against so-called upper-caste individuals to seeking monetary compensation, or both.
