Dehradun news: Congress leader dies after iron cutter falls during Rahul Gandhi event preparations; here is what happened | Today’s news
Congress leader Amar Mehta died in an accident on Thursday while preparations were underway for the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ program at Bannu School Ground in Dehradun.
According to the Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC), Mehta suffered fatal head injuries after an iron cutter fell on him at the venue. The incident occurred while arrangements were being made for a program Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to address later in the day.
Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) spokesperson Pratima Singh expressed grief over the incident. She said the party did everything in its power to save Amar Mehta, but he eventually succumbed to his injuries.
She mentioned that the party was deeply saddened by the tragedy and also confirmed that the ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ program will continue as planned.
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“It is a very tragic incident. It was raining and preparations for the program were going on when an iron object fell on his body, leading to his death. The Congress party stands with his family and expresses deepest condolences,” she said, according to news agency ANI.
Singh added that thousands of students have registered for the event, which aims to highlight concerns related to students, including alleged leaks of exam papers and issues related to the education system.
“Amar Mehta was also deeply committed to the cause of students. Rahul Gandhi is coming to interact with the youth and student enthusiasm is very high. The program will be held with a heavy heart,” she said.
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The staging of the event at Bannu School Ground was coming to an end on Thursday, with the organizers installing a waterproof canopy at the venue keeping in view the ongoing monsoon season.
Ahead of his visit to Dehradun, Rahul Gandhi targeted the Uttarakhand government over alleged document leaks in the Uttarakhand Subordinate Services Selection Commission (UKSSSC) recruitment exams 2025. He claimed that the state’s anti-cheating law was ineffective and alleged that exam papers continued to be leaked despite its existence.
Gandhi is in Dehradun as part of the nationwide ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ campaign, an initiative aimed at highlighting student-related issues, including alleged exam paper leaks, recruitment irregularities and wider concerns about the country’s education system.
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Gandhi went on X and claimed that Uttarakhand, often referred to as ‘Devbhoomi’, had turned into an “epicenter of paper leaks”, while questioning the state government’s response to the matter.
‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ will also be held in Bengaluru, says Surjewala
Meanwhile, Congress General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala said on Thursday that the party intends to organize its ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ (Voice of Students) program in Bengaluru, adding that the date of the event has not been decided yet.
Addressing reporters in Delhi, Surjewala said that the Congress is rolling out the ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ campaign in various parts of the country and that the Sangathan Srijan Abhiyan (SSA) will also be held in Karnataka.
He said the party has already appointed observers for the SSA, while the process of selecting observers for the Pradesh Congress Committee is currently underway.
Surjewala also accused the Union BJP government of subjecting Karnataka to “deliberate and systematic discrimination” by withholding the state’s GST levies and defaulting on commitments related to budgetary assistance for several central government schemes, including allegedly not releasing funds announced in the Union Budget.
