Surat communal clashes: Police seek 14-day remand of accused, court grants two days

Surat police had arrested the 27 accused allegedly involved in pelting the police with stones and assaulting the public at Saiyedpura police chowki on the night of September 8.

The arrested persons were booked under different sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) pertaining to attempt to murder, voluntarily causing hurt, unlawful assembly, rioting, causing mischief, endangering life, and causing grievous hurt to deter public servant from his duty following a complaint by a sub-inspector of a local police station.

Seeking a 14-day remand, the police argued that the identification parade of the arrested persons was pending and that they needed time for detailed interrogation of many since they were from outside Surat.

It further argued that the immediate gathering of over 200 to 300 accused near Saiyedpura police chowki reflected conspiracy, adding that they needed to find out about others who could be involved in it.

Besides, they said they wanted to find out from where the accused had brought stones which they threw at police and a few members of the public. The police further said it wanted to know if the alleged miscreants were planning another conspiracy ahead of the upcoming Ganesh Visarjan. Besides, they want to find out the “main conspirators behind the entire episode”, they said.

District Government Pleader Nayan Sukhadwala was present from the prosecution side while the defence side was represented by over five lawyers including Advocate Zafar Belawala, Javed Multani, Wajid Shaikh, Hasmukh Lalwala, and Zeba Pathan.

Talking to The Indian Express, Belawala, one of the lawyers for the accused, said, “Police had demanded 14 days’ police remand with 17 grounds. The court has granted police two days till Thursday afternoon. The court has taken into consideration the gravity of the incident and also that other accused in this offence are yet to be arrested…”

Meanwhile, the six minors detained in the case are in an Observation Home for children.

The teenagers allegedly threw stones at a Ganesh Chaturthi Pandal while travelling in an auto, injuring a visitor in the process.

The first FIR in the case alleged that the stone-pelting incident hurt religious sentiments.

The second offence was registered by Govind Rathod, police-sub inspector, Lalgate police station, against over 200 to 300 people, including 27 who were later identified and arrested.

The FIR stated: “The six minors involved…were brought to Saiyedpura police chowki…A mob of around 200 to 300 men and women turned up…and pelted the complainant and other policemen with stones. Some among the mob also carried wooden sticks and assaulted the cops…”

The third offence was registered by constable Chetan Parmar of Lalgate police station on Monday, stating, “A group of 70 to 80 people, some armed with wooden sticks, attacked two cars and bikes and later set on fire cars parked at Katargam Darwaja.”