Constitution Vandalism Accused Found Dead in Parbhani Farmhouse
Police discovered Datta Sopan Pawar dead on Monday morning. The accused in the Constitution replica vandalism case was found in a room on his farmland in Mirzapur village, Parbhani district.
Suspected Suicide After Bail Release
Officers stated Pawar was found hanging. They are treating the case as a suspected suicide. This incident occurred just four days after his release on bail.
Pawar had spent nearly thirteen months in judicial custody. Villagers noticed the room door remained shut for an unusually long time. They alerted authorities immediately.
A police team rushed to the scene. They broke open the door and found Pawar hanging from a ceiling hook. The body was taken down promptly and sent for postmortem.
Police conducted a panchnama at the site. They registered an accidental death report following standard procedures.
Background of the Controversial Case
Pawar faced arrest for vandalizing a Constitution replica on December 10, 2024. The replica stood in front of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar's statue in Parbhani.
His actions triggered massive protests across Maharashtra. Political and social reactions were sharp and immediate. Violent incidents erupted in Parbhani and other parts of the state.
Authorities deployed additional police forces to control the situation. They maintained strict law-and-order surveillance in the city for several days.
Legal Struggles and Family Estrangement
After his arrest, Pawar received treatment at Government Medical College and Hospital in Nanded. Protesters allegedly barged into the hospital and assaulted him during this period.
Parbhani Superintendent of Police Ravindrasingh Pardeshi explained the circumstances. "He had been languishing behind bars since his arrest," Pardeshi said.
Legal aid services represented Pawar's bail application. The court granted him bail in November 2025. A fresh bail order came on January 7, 2026, leading to his release from Harsul Central Prison in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.
"Perhaps he was depressed," Pardeshi added. A prison guard accompanied Pawar to Mondha police station. Mondha police transferred his responsibility to rural police, who released him to relatives in the village.
Lack of Family Support
A prison official revealed troubling details. "No one from his family was ready to apply for his bail," the official stated. Legal aid services had to step in due to this absence of family support.
The court granted bail in November, but family members still did not come forward. They refused to provide a PR bond for his release.
The court acted suo motu, asking Pawar to furnish a bond himself. He secured release just four days before his death.
Mental Health Challenges
A Parbhani police officer confirmed Pawar stayed in jail for nearly thirteen months. He obtained bail on a personal bond since no one offered surety.
Free legal aid facilitated his bail process. After release, Pawar returned to Mirzapur village. He had been staying there alone for two to three days.
Investigators noted Pawar faced considerable mental stress. His family circumstances were particularly strained.
His wife and two children lived separately in different villages within Pune district. Officials confirmed Pawar underwent psychiatric treatment during incarceration.
A preliminary assessment suggests prolonged depression may have driven him to take this extreme step. The investigation continues as authorities piece together the full story.
