2 min readAhmedabadApr 23, 2026 03:45 AM ISTThe family says they will not accept his body, which is kept at a morgue, till they get justice for the young member of the family.A 24-year-old man died during treatment on April 20 two days after he was allegedly thrashed by a group of men following an argument over “wasting food” on the premises of Shantabaa General Hospital in Gujarat’s Amreli district.Family members of the man identified as Mahesh Premji Rathod have been sitting on a dharna in front of the hospital for the third day demanding that the police book Rathod’s attackers under the BNS Section 103 (murder). The family says they will not accept his body, which is kept at a morgue, till they get justice for the young member of the family.However, the police claim to be in a bind over the matter stating that since Rathod died three days after the incident in which he suffered a fractured left hand, they had to wait for the cause of death before proceeding in the case. They added that an FIR for the alleged attack has been filed against four identified persons and three others for the attack and to add murder charge, they had to get the permission of the court. The postmortem report of Rathod is awaited, they pointed out.Brendan Dabhi works with The Indian Express, focusing his comprehensive reporting primarily on Gujarat. He covers the region's most critical social, legal, and administrative sectors, notably specializing at the intersection of health, social justice, and disasters. Expertise Health and Public Policy: He has deep expertise in healthcare issues, including rare diseases, Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), the complex logistics of organ transplants, and public health challenges like drug-resistant TB and heat health surveillance. His on-ground reporting during the COVID-19 pandemic and Mucormycosis was critical in exposing healthcare challenges faced by marginalized communities in Gujarat. Social Justice and Legal Administration: He reports on the functioning of the legal and police system, including the impact of judicial philosophy, forensics and crucial administrative reforms (. He covers major surveillance and crackdown exercises by the Gujarat police and security on the international border. Disaster and Crisis Management: His work closely tracks how government and civic bodies respond to large-scale crises, providing essential coverage on the human and administrative fallout of disasters including cyclones, floods, conflict, major fires and reported extensively on the AI 171 crash in Ahmedabad. Civic Infrastructure and Governance: Provides timely reports on critical civic failures, including large scale infrastructure projects by the railways and civic bodies, as well as the enforcement of municipal regulations and their impact on residents and heritage. ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:GujaratAdvertisementLoading Recommendations...