Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, June 17: A 62-year-old man, believed to be a mere bystander, was killed and at least five police personnel injured in mob violence in Junagadh in the Saurashtra region of Gujarat following notices by the local municipal corporation for demolition to some religious places for encroachment on public roads.
The police claimed that the person was killed by stone pelting by the mob and not due to any police action. The police had burst teargas shells and had resorted to lathi charge to disperse the mob of about 500 which suddenly turned violent and indulged in pelting stones on the police even when they were talking to the people gathered over the civic notice.
The police said a group of people hurled stones and torched a vehicle to oppose the civic body’s plan to raze a dargah to clear “encroachment.” The incident occurred on Friday night near Majevadi Darwaja in the city, during which the police threw tear gas shells and baton-charged the protesters to control the situation, and later rounded up 174 people, they said.
The exact reason behind the civilian’s death would be known after the post-mortem, but the police suspect that he died after being hit by a stone thrown by the mob.
“On June 14, the Junagadh Municipal Corporation issued a notice to a mosque near Majevadi Darwaja to produce documents regarding the ownership of land. Agitated over the notice, around 500-600 people gathered near the religious structure and blocked roads on Friday night,” Superintendent of Police Ravi Teja Vasamsetty said.
Deputy SP of Junagadh and other staff, who were present at the site, tried to convince them. After nearly an hour-long deliberations aimed at finding a peaceful resolution of the matter and clearing the protesters’ road blockade, some stones were thrown at the police staff around 10.15 pm, he said.
Shouting slogans, some people, agitated over the notice to the dargah, charged towards the police personnel and tried to attack them, he added. Police lobbed tear gas shells and baton-charged to disperse the unruly crowd. Junagadh DySP, three sub-inspectors and two other police personnel were injured in the incident, but all of them are out of danger, he said, adding that a mob also set a vehicle on fire.
According to the SP, the Junagadh Municipal Corporation (JuMC) had “given notices to Geban Shah Masjid near Majewadi gate on June 14, which were pasted on Friday, saying that they have to show relevant papers to JuMC within five days. On Friday, nearly 500-600 people gathered near Majewadi gate, upset over the notices.”
“The DySP, his staff, PI of A-division and B-division police stations of Junagadh, PSIs of A-division, B-division, C-division and LCB were also there at the spot at the time, and they were trying to convince the crowd. Deliberations went on for nearly 45 minutes and the police were also trying to remove the roadblock that the crowd had created. At around 10.15 pm, 2-4 stones were pelted at the police and the crowd came to attack the police while sloganeering, which is when the police lathi-charged to disperse the crowd,” the SP said.
“Five tear gas shells and dye marker grenade shells were used by the police for dispersal of the crowd as well. During this, DySP Junagadh was injured as was PSI Kinjal Maru. Injuries were also sustained by two more PSIs and some other police staff. All are safe and none are critical,” the SP added.
“Six police teams were formed of SOG (special operations group), LCB (local crime branch) and following combing operations through the night, till now 174 people have been detained. The police will do area domination in the entire city of Junagadh and efforts are on to arrest all those who are involved,” SP Vasamsetty added.
In the notice issued by the JuMC, dated June 14 and undersigned by senior town planner, addressed to ‘Hazrat Khijni Shah Pir and Hazrat Gebanshah Pir Dargah’, it is stated, “As per the Supreme Court’s directions to ensure that there is no religious encroachment and keeping in mind the same, there is illegal encroachment by religious places on public road. It is to inform you that five days’ time is given to provide supporting proof/ownership proof in this regard. If the appropriate evidence is not provided, then as per GPMC Act (Gujarat Provincial Municipal Corporations) section 210 and 266, the illegal encroachment from the road will be removed and the cost shall be borne by you. In case of any casualties or accident during this process, the responsibility shall lie with you.”
JuMC senior town planner Bipinkumar Gamit said, “A total of eight religious structures were served with notices of illegal encroachment on public roads on June 14, and the notices were pasted on the premises of these structures on June 16. These included three temples and five dargahs, and was part of our regular procedure of demolition drives undertaken in compliance with Supreme Court directions. None of the eight who were issued notices have responded with documentary proof to show that the constructions are in legal compliance. They have been given five days’ time since the issuance of notice.”
The IGP said that an FIR has been lodged for unlawful assembly, murder, attempt to commit murder, arson, causing grievous hurt with dangerous weapons, loss of property by mischief, criminal conspiracy, causing hurt and deterring a public servant from duty, assaulting or obstructing public servant when suppressing riot and knowingly joining or continuing in an assembly of five or more persons after it has been commanded to disperse. He added that offences under the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act have also been added.
A large police posse have been deployed in the area to avoid any further untoward incident and efforts to nab all those involved in the clash are being taken, he said. The police claimed that the situation in the town on Saturday was peaceful.