Bharuch, DeshGujarat

BJP leaders Bharatsinh Parmar and minister of state in centre Mansukh Vasava on Friday visited families of those who were killed in recent riots in Hansot village in Bharuch district of Gujarat.

Family of Pratik Maganbhai Patel, a youth killed by communal elements was in great anger. Locals gathered at his home during the visit of district’s top ruling party leaders demanded that police should not harass innocents during combing operation.

Another youth killed was Sandip Chhaganbhai Patel. He was the only support to his economically weak family. Both BJP leaders promised help to Sandip Patel’s family.

Meanwhile due to rumors and fear, people are increasingly choosing rail route to travel between Bharuch and Ankleshwar rather than the ‘unsafe’ road route. But service on Hansot-Ankleshwar route is non-functional for last three days.

Union Minister Mansukh Vasava, district BJP president Yogesh Patel, state BJP general secretary Bharatsinh Parmar also visited Bharuch civil hospital where those injured during the riot are admitted.

Meanwhile former PSI KV Chudasama has been called on special duty in Hansot from his current posting in Surat. Chudasama is familiar with geography and social fabrics of Hansot and he has in past successfully cooled down riots and tension here.

Total number of injured persons in Hansot clashes has been 20. They are admitted in different hospitals.

One of those injured – Rafiq Sheikh whose condition was critical has been dead today. With this total toll of those dead is 3. Sheikh was on ventilator for last 48 hours in Surat’s Mahavir hospital.

The situation in Hansot is in control with presence of over 300 police men and RAF jawans.
However Hansot can not be described as entirely tension free zone yet. Whether peace will continue even after extra police force leave the place after few days? That is the question at this point of time.

For now, police will need to keep extra vigil during Rafiq’s funeral procession.

Also police will need to keep vigil in other parts of the district, especially the Hansot belt. Yesterday there was an incident of clash in Ambhera-Ilav and Sahol villages in Hansot belt.

How Pratik and Sandip were killed?

Festivals of Hindus continue to witness desturbance throughout the year in different parts of Gujarat. The latest was Uttarayan(Makarsankranti) when in Hansot near Ratneshwar Mahadev, a group of rioters attacked Pratik Maganbhai Patel(32) and Sandip Chhaganbhai Patel(30) and killed them with sharp weopans. Pratik’s father Maganbhai Patel and brother Kiran Patel who tried to rescue Pratil and Sandip, faced serious injuries. As per Vignesh Bhupendrabhai Patel’s complaint, 16 accused are booked. They are Zahid Samad Kanuga, Ajju Muhammad Shafi Khokhar, Ismael Pintu Ibrahim Khokhar, Arif Hussainkhan Pathan, Hussain Ghadiali, Mehmood Ghulam Rasool Sheikh, Nazim Ibrahim Khokhar, Samir Ibrahim, Muhammad Javid alias Aava Hussain Ghadiyali, Kadir Kanuga, Muhammadali Shoukatali, Sajid Sahid Rayni, Mazafir alias Boru Hashir Sheikh, Naeem Majud Truckwala, Badruddin Bhaiya, Jamilaben Muhammadsafi and Pappu Ibrahim Khokhar.

8-10 shops, stalls, vehicles were torched during the clashes.

© Copyright DeshGujarat. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of any DeshGujarat content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without their prior written consent.