Ex-CM,other CM-baiters face fresh rioting charges

This comes nearly 10 days after a local paanwala,Babadur Khuman,registered a similar complaint against the leaders in connection with the burning of nine shops by a mob at Behsan on June 3.

Like the previous complaint,the court would investigate the case under Section 202 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).

“A total of 66 persons,including top leaders,have been accused of rioting,damage to property,giving inflammatory speeches,conspiracy and unlawful assembly under various sections of the Indian Penal Code,” said Dhandhal’s counsel Rajesh Thakar.

As each victim can file a separate complaint,Dhandal registered a fresh complaint for the rioting incident,he added.

Though the riots broke out hours after Bhupat Bhayani,a BJP councillor at Bhesan Taluka Panchayat,was shot at on June 3,the complainants have claimed it had its roots in the Leuva Patels’ community meet organised on March 11 at Mota Kotda village near Visavadar,where the accused leaders had allegedly given inflammatory speeches.

Bhayani was attacked near Mangnath village at Visavadar,which is 30 km away from Bhesan. Following this incident,markets were shut down at Bhesan and nine shops were set ablaze.

While police had registered a complaint of rioting against a mob of 200,no complaint was filed by the affected shopkeepers at that time.

The next day,when the town remained closed,police arrested three persons — Suresh Kathi,Devku Odha and Bhupat Kathi — in connection with the attack on Bhayani.

Both the complaints have alleged that the leaders inflammatory speeches against their Kathi community sparked off a series of small clashes between March and June,which finally led to riots at Bhesan.

It all began in January this year when under the leadership of Naresh Patel,an industrialist from Rajkot,the Leuvas put up a show of strength at Kagvad in Rajkot district,which is the seat of their deity Ma Khodal. Since then,the leaders have been attending various functions of the Leuva Patel community in various parts of the state.