Gujarat tense after 2 killed in clashes
AHMEDABAD: Tension ran high in Gujarat’s Surendranagar district on Friday, a day after two persons were killed and five injured in group clashes there.
Mobile internet services in Surendranagar and in nearby Morbi district remain suspended till Friday afternoon to prevent spreading of rumours through various social media platforms such as WhatsApp and Facebook, a statement released by the state government said.
The twin districts have been put under supervision of three senior officers — two inspectors general (IGs) Brijesh Kumar Jha and Ajay Kumar Chaudhary and Rajkot range deputy inspector general (DIG) DN Patel.
Seven platoons of state reserve police (SRP) have been deployed in the violence-hit areas while police forces from nearby districts have been put on standby.
The trigger for the clash, police said, was the killing of Indrasinh Zala, a former president of Dharngadhra nagarpalika on July 8, when he was returning from Rajasthan. He is reportedly a functionary of the ruling BJP.
Zala was out on parole in connection with the murder of Popat Bharwad in 2012.
Zala was Kshatriya while Popat belonged to the Bharwad community of cattle-grazers.
On Thursday, a group of Kshatriyas was on their way to attend Zala’s condolence meeting when they allegedly entered into a fight with some members belonging to the Bharwad community at Dhrangadhra in Surendranagar.
Amid heavy stone pelting from both sides, members of one group resorted to firing, which left one person dead, police said.
Soon, another clash broke out in Soladi village, where one more person was killed. Clashes were also reported from Dhrangadhra village.
Several vehicles and shops were torched in the melee, before a large contingent of police rushed to the spot to bring the situation under control.