Indian on strike to prove he is still alive

A 32- year-old Indian from Uttar Pradesh is continuing his one-man strike at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, to prove that he is alive.

The man was declared dead by his relatives who he says “killed” him to usurp his property. They were also unhappy that he married a woman from a lower cast. The village chief, clansmen and his family members even conducted his last rites, after filing a fake man missing case with the local police. SKS was declared dead by the Varanasi district authorities.

Santosh Kumar Singh, who claims to be a former cook for Bollywood star, Nana Patekar, said his 4-month long strike in the Indian capital has not yet convinced the authorities that he is alive. “Main Zindaa Hoon (I’m alive),” reads a placard he wields.

Santosh has filed complaints addressed to the Indian president, various government officials and the National Human Rights Commission as well as the Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe Commission.

According to reports in the Indian media, Santosh was declared “dead” by his relatives after he fell in love and married a Dalit woman from Maharasthra, Santha Devi, during his stay in Mumbai, the commercial capital of India, where he worked for Patekar.

Santosh, who hails from Chithouni village, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, was declared dead about 7 years ago as part of an alleged conspiracy by his clansmen and villagers, who were furious with his marriage, after which, he went back to his village. But family members and others chased him away from the village. According to reports from New Delhi, Santosh has left his wife and five-year-old son in Mumbai to continue his strike in New Delhi.

An earlier report by Sunday Times said he has lost his money, became bankrupt giving high fees to lawyers and was even beaten up by the police, when he went to file a complaint. 

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