Gujarat: After assualt on Dalits, complainant seeks police protection

THE COMPLAINANT in the case of alleged assault on Dalits by a mob of upper caste Mer community in Sodhana village of Porbandar on Monday wrote to deputy director for welfare of Scheduled Caste, seeking police protection for himself and the family members of Rama Singrakhiya, who was killed in the violence.

Govind Pandavadra, a resident of Porbandar who was injured in the alleged attack last week, was discharged from a hospital in Rajkot on Monday. Pandavadra was allegedly abducted by a mob, led by Sodhana sarpanch Arbham Karavadra and brutally beaten up while he was helping Rama sow caster seeds. Vijay Madhavji, who was also hired by Rama as a labourer, was assaulted and is still in hospital.

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Pandavadra wrote in the letter that Rama’s nephew Raju, elder brother Khima and mother Manju had left Sodhana and shifted to Porbandar out of fear. He also demanded police protection for Rama’s friends Suman Chavda and Rahul Dangar. Pandavadra marked copies of his letter to the CM, DGP, Porbandar district collector and Porbandar Superintendent of Police.

However, Porbandar SP Tarun Kumar Duggal said his office had not received the letter. “We have not got a copy of that. If he has written to the deputy director, then we will get a copy from his office. They have not applied with us for police protection.”