Gujarat: Patidar leader assaulted in Rajkot, inspector booked

On Monday night, images of Sardhara, bleeding from head, were shared widely on social media platforms, especially among Patidar groups.
The FIR in the matter was filed at Rajkot Taluka police station. Sardhara, who submitted his complaint to the police at a private hospital where he was undergoing treatment, stated that on Monday evening, he attended a wedding function in Rajkot city’s Mahudi area.

Around 8.30 pm, a man approached him and said, “I am Sanjay Padariya, PI posted at Junagadh SRP region, and you are a traitor to the community.” Sardhara alleged that the man tried to attack him but was stopped by the guests present at the function.

Thereafter, the attacker is alleged to have said, “I am an active member in Naresh Patel’s team and you are betraying the community by being Sardardham vice-president because of which I will ensure you don’t get away from here alive.” The accused is then said to have left the premises.

The Naresh Patel mentioned in the FIR is believed to be the Chairman of the Shree Khodaldham Trust (SKT), another Patidar socio-religious organisation. The Indian Express reached out to Patel but since he is out of the country, Dinesh Bhambhaniya, one of the trustees of SKT, said, “The accusation is that the person attacked Sardhara on the directions of Patel. But, it primarily looks like the police filed the FIR in a hurry. The CCTV footage that has come out does not show any weapon. The police itself said that Padariya was on leave and that his service weapon was deposited with them. Secondly, the injury is not to the extent that they booked him under attempt to murder, which happens after the doctor’s report.”

He further said, “In short, neither Sardardham nor Khodaldham have anything to do with this incident. We have thousands of volunteers who do some work or the other. So this incident may have taken place with regard to the trusts but it is not that the heads of the institutions are involved in it in any way.”

When asked if Inspector Padariya is associated with Khodaldham, Bhambhaniya said, “Just like Padariya, there are 119 inspectors and 400 sub-inspectors associated with both the institutions since they are both educational in nature. But, Padariya isn’t a trustee of Khodaldham.”
According to the FIR, when Sardhara was leaving from the function venue, he was waylaid by the accused inspector, who parked his vehicle in front of the Patidar leader’s car.

As soon as Sardhara got off his vehicle, the accused allegedly pulled out a pistol and hit him on the head with it. Even as Sardhara fell to the ground, the accused continued to hit him, it was alleged. Rescued by bystanders, Sardhara drove himself to Giriraj Hospital.

Meanwhile, Padariya has been booked under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Sections 109(1) (attempt to murder), 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 118(1) (causing hurt with dangerous weapon), 352 (provoking breach of peace) and 351(3) (criminal intimidation). He was also booked under sections 135(1) (disobeying orders) of the Gujarat Police Act.

Inspector DM Haripara of Taluka police station in Rajkot said, “The accused is an inspector in the police training centre in Junagadh and is absconding. We are attempting to apprehend and arrest him at the earliest.”