Indian-origin man dies two weeks after Australian police kneel on his neck during arrest attempt
New Delhi: A 42-year-old Indian-origin man has died two weeks after a controversial encounter with Australian police in which an officer allegedly knelt on his neck during an attempted arrest in Adelaide. The incident, which drew comparisons to the 2020 death of George Floyd in the United States, has triggered a high-level inquiry in South Australia.
The deceased, Gaurav Kundi, a resident of Modbury North, passed away on Thursday, June 12, reportedly due to an "unrecoverable brain injury," according to 7News Australia.
The incident occurred around 2:45 a.m. on May 29 on Payneham Road in Royston Park, where South Australia Police responded to what they described as a suspected domestic dispute between a man and a woman. However, video footage of the incident shows Kundi being forcibly restrained by officers as he and his wife, Amritpal Kaur, protested. “I’ve done nothing wrong,” Kundi can be heard shouting in the video, while Kaur, who filmed the encounter, accused the police of acting unfairly.
Kaur later stated that her husband had been intoxicated and loud, but was not violent. Police claimed Kundi resisted arrest and was under the influence of alcohol. They further asserted that no firearms or tasers were used during the incident.
Kundi became unresponsive during the arrest and was rushed to a hospital, where he remained in critical condition for two weeks before succumbing to his injuries.
In response to public concern, South Australia Police Commissioner Grant Stevens confirmed that an internal investigation was underway alongside a major crime investigation. He told ABC Radio Adelaide that a commissioner’s inquiry would also be conducted independently.
The incident has revived global concerns about the use of excessive force by police, particularly in light of the similarities to George Floyd's death in the United States. Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, died in May 2020 after a white police officer knelt on his neck during an arrest in Minneapolis, sparking worldwide protests against police brutality and systemic racism.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Conspiracy afoot to 'tarnish' image of Dharmasthala: Deputy CM DK Shivakumar
Bengaluru, Aug 14 (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Thursday said there was a “conspiracy” to tarnish the image of Dharmasthala.
His comments come amid an ongoing investigation by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) into serious allegations of mass burials in the revered temple town in Dakshina Kannada district.
“A conspiracy is being hatched to destroy hundreds of years of legacy. It is not correct to tarnish someone just like that. It has all happened due to one complainant,” he said.
Noting that some Congress MLAs have called for action against those involved in the slander campaign at the legislature party meeting, he said, “ I have told them that action must be taken against those who are indulging in a slander campaign. The CM has also said that action must be taken against such people.”
“I have information on this case. Religious feelings should not be hurt in any manner. Culprits must be punished,” he told reporters, according to a release from his office.
Responding to a question, Shivakumar said the Congress party will not allow the image of any religious place to be tarnished.
“We see everyone equally when it comes to religion,” he added.
The SIT, formed by the state government, is probing claims of mass murder, rape, and mass burials in Dharmasthala over the past two decades.
The complainant, a former sanitation worker whose identity has not been revealed, alleged that between 1995 and 2014 he was forced to handle bodies—including women and minors—and that some showed signs of sexual assault. He has given a statement before a magistrate.
As part of the probe, the SIT has been conducting exhumations at multiple locations identified by the complainant-witness in the forested areas along the banks of the Netravathi River in Dharmasthala, where some skeletal remains have been found at two sites so far.
