Rahul Gandhi joins student protestors demanding justice for Arunachal Pradesh student Nido Taniam, who died allegedly after being beaten by shopkeepers
Rahul Gandhi met student protestors in the heart of Delhi this evening in a show of solidarity after the death of
Nido Taniam, a 20-year-old from the North East who was beaten up by a group of men last week in a South Delhi market. (
Nido Taniam's death: Rahul Gandhi asks Home Minister Shinde to act)
It was a rare event for Mr Gandhi who is leading his Congress party's campaign for the national election. Over the weekend, Mr Gandhi's mother and Congress president Sonia Gandhi wrote to the father of the student who died, describing the tragedy as "a blot on our society."
Nido's father is a Congress lawmaker in the Arunachal Pradesh state legislature.
So far, nobody has been arrested for Nido's death. An autopsy that could reveal how he died is expected soon. The Delhi High Court today chose to intervene in the case by asking for reports on the investigation by the police, Union Home Ministry and the Delhi government to be submitted to it by Wednesday. (
How can this happen in the capital, asks Delhi High Court)
Activists and students from the North East have been holding demonstrations everyday, demanding justice for Nido and action against the Delhi police for allegedly dropping him back to the place where the fight took place, where, they say, he was beaten again. (
Blog: "Nido loved music, movies and Mughlai food")
In December 2013, Mr Gandhi baffled many with his stubborn refusal to meet thousands of students who were protesting the fatal gang-rape of a young student on a moving bus in Delhi. Daily demonstrations to express anger, grief and a demand for stricter laws to punish crimes against women drew demonstrators every day to the area around India Gate.