Seventy-five-year-old Bhalani died on Sunday morning outside the Gujarat High Court building where he had been fasting since this April. But the absurdity stretched to his very death: like a medieval soldier fighting a modern army, he breathed his last outside the court building after seeking justice in vain for two decades.

The moving tale of an individual's futile struggle against institutions began in 1967. He borrowed Rs 1,600 from Gujarat State Cooperative Land Mortgage Bank for digging a well on his piece of land in his native Mahobatpura village.

According to Bhalani, who spoke to passersby abouthis ordeal, he had repaid the loan by 1973. However, the bank did not think the loan had been repaid, and his land was attached, and sold to someone in 1976.

Bhalani moved Gujarat High Court. Meanwhile, his wife Jhamakuben lost her mental balance. In 1984, Bhalani sat outside the high court entrance. Moved by the man's plight, the court asked Junagadh district legal committee to investigate in the matter and report within seven days. But this did not help.

So again from this April 4, Bhalani along with his son camped outside the court to seek justice. He stirred quite a curiosity among the people, who stopped by to look at the father and son and a curtain hung behind them with their story written on it. The media, as usual, found good picture in the duo's futile struggle. Pictures and stories were carried for a few days.

Time passed, but Bhalani refused to relent. His health started deteriorating as he ate only fruits and powder made from neem leaves (the latter has an allusion to Gandhi, who, too, tookchatni made from neem leaves). During July he was briefly hospitalised.

He died at about 11.00 am on Sunday. According to Navrangpura police station, cause of death is not yet known as the post-mortem report is awaited. His body was sent to his village for last rites.