Day after the stone-pelting incidents amidst communal clashes in the Chappariya area of Himmatnagar district of Gujarat, one more stone-pelting incident took place in the Vanzara area of Himmatnagar, despite section 144 of CrPC in place in some of the areas. The situation was aggravated when two mobs from two communities came face to face. As soon as the incident was reported, the police rushed to the spot and fired six tear gas canisters at the scene.
Developments on April 10 Ram Navami Violence:
In the purview of violence in Chhapariya of Himmatnagar, a police official has informed that they have registered three complaints so far. He told the reporters that “…three FIRs have been lodged in this incident and more than 30 accused have been rounded up.” CCTV of the control room has been scrutinized and more than one thousand police officers have been deployed, he further added.
The first complaint mentions a formation of an illegal group to carry out a pre-planned conspiracy by setting the dargah on fire and damaging the vehicles by setting them on fire and vandalizing them. Along with harming each other and disturbing the law-and-order situation by pelting stones and provocative speech against the Hindu-Muslim religion. This complaint has been filed against Ahmed Hussain Gyassudin Syed, Shahrukh Pathan, Junaid and Shahrukh among another group of about 50 Muslims, 50 Hindus and a group of about 50 other Hindu-Muslims, whose names are not known yet.
Another complaint has been lodged by PSI SJ Chavda of LCB against Aspak khan alias Raju Mental and a mob of 100 at Himmatnagar A Division Police Station. The FIR mentions that the accused used stones, glass bottles and sticks as weapons. This comes after an LCB PSI and a constable were injured in the April 10 incident.
The third complaint has been lodged by PSI J G Ode with the A Division Police. According to which, the incident took place at Imamwada Chowk, Ashrafnagar town, Chhapariya and different places of Himmatnagar between 1.30 pm to 7 pm. The complaint mentions that the Ram Navami procession reached Chhapariya Ramji mandir at around 1.30 pm with a tractor, open jeeps, DJ sound and 300 people. During this accused Aspak Khan alias Raju Mental, a leader of the Muslim community, collected stones and glass soda bottles to attack the procession and planned to carry out a criminal conspiracy.
The police personnel deployed for the security purpose in the procession lost his life after being attacked with stones. Also, the government vehicles of the police convoy were stoned in the procession. Apart from this, residential places, public and private property were set on fire, vandalized and damaged, the complaint stated.
