Dipke’s grandmother dies hours after CJP founder’s detention; family fears he may miss last rites

Savitribai, 85, who was suffering from age-related ailments, breathed her last at around 11:30 am. She had been unwell for over a month and had been hospitalised in Hingoli weeks ago

MUMBAI: Savitribai Dipke, the paternal grandmother of Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke, died at the family’s ancestral home in Santuk Pimpri village in Maharashtra’s Hingoli district on Saturday, hours after he was detained by Delhi police in New Delhi.

Savitribai Dipke, the paternal grandmother of Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke, died at the family’s ancestral home in Santuk Pimpri village in Maharashtra’s Hingoli district on Saturday.

Savitribai, 85, who was suffering from age-related ailments, breathed her last at around 11:30 am. She had been unwell for over a month and had been hospitalised in Hingoli weeks ago. The family is now uncertain whether Dipke will be able to attend her last rites, as they have been unable to contact him following his detention.

Dipke’s father, Bhagwanrao Dipke who was in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, told mediapersons that the family had been unable to establish contact with Abhijeet. “I have informed his friends, but have yet to hear back from them. We have been unable to contact Abhijeet; he may not be able to attend the funeral,” he said.

Abhijeet’s mother, Anita, however expressed a hint of optimism as she said: “He should come, but we do not know whether he will prioritise the country or come to pay his last respects to his grandmother.” She added that she had informed Ajinkya (in-charge of CJP in Dipke’s absence), who had not been able to get in touch with Dipke.

Against the backdrop of uncertainty, CJP media in-charge Vijay Mallangi alleged that party members had not been allowed to speak to Dipke and that even his lawyers had been denied access to him. “Delhi police has been claiming that they have informed Abhijeet about his grandmother’s passing away but we do not know the reality as no one has been allowed to speak to him – not even our lawyers,” he said.

Dipke’s father also questioned the grounds for his son’s detention and accused the authorities of targeting him for exposing alleged corruption in the government. “Under what law was my son detained from the aircraft? How many rapists, terrorists and people who fled the country after cheating others have been detained from an aircraft,” he asked. “The authorities have failed to track them down, yet they can detain a student. What serious crime has my son committed to deserve such treatment? It seems I have sacrificed my son for the country.”