‘There is fear’: Muslim families flee village, take shelter in relief colony

On Monday, when The Indian Express visited the relief colony, loaded tempo rickshaws were bringing in residents of Randhikpur into the relief colony along with their luggages where they decided to stay until “a decision is made” regarding the release of the convicts.

The convicts were released from Godhra sub-jail on August 15, following a recommendation of the Jail Advisory Committee (JAC), set up by the Gujarat government, approved their application for remission of sentence.

Sultana, 24, who arrived at the colony with her mother and sister on Sunday said, “There is fear among the community since last week… There have been no direct threats but the welcome they received and the sense of jubilation in the village… We grew anxious and left as we did not feel safe there. It was different when they came out on parole as we knew they were ultimately prisoners but now they have been released.”

On Monday, members of the Muslim community in Dahod submitted a memorandum to the District Collector seeking reconsideration of the state government decision to grant remission to the convicts, stating that the decision had “dented the image and respect of the judicial system” and should be “reversed to restore faith in justice”. The community is also seeking permission to organise a rally in protest of the remission, members of the community said.

At the Rahimabad Relief Colony in Devgarh Baria, Dahod district, on Monday. (Express Photo by Bhupendra Rana)

Sultana and her mother are daily wage labourers. Her mother recalls fleeing Randhikpur in 2002, with a four-year-old Sultana in tow. She says, “The images of the horror are flashing in memory… Although we were lucky to have escaped then, we can’t trust the process now… None of us has the kind of courage that Bilkis has shown in the past two decades to fight. On our way here, we came across a huge convoy of the ruling party near Kesharpura and were petrified. I held on to my daughter tight.”

While Bilkis has moved out of the colony, mainly for safety and to also avoid being interrupted by visitors, her husband Yaqub Rasool Patel said, “She has gathered herself and is preparing to fight on. She is recalling the courage that it took to come this far and resolving that she will not give up. We have sought advice of our well wishers and lawyers and a decision will be taken soon on the appeal.”

Events were held at multiple locations within a distance of about eight kilometres from Randhikpur Sunday with BJP MP of Dahod Jaswantsinh Bhabhor inaugurating health centres. According to district officials, the events were in Patangdi and Chhapvad villages and not in Randhikpur.

Another villager, a maternal cousin of Bilkis, fights back tears and says, “Despite what they did to my sisters, aunt and others, they have been released… They have been roaming in the village and market areas and it is intimidating… I had no choice but to leave my house and shift to the relief colony with my wife and infant as I cannot take a chance.”

Abdul Razzak, another resident of Randhikpur, who has been making petitions on behalf of the witnesses in the Bilkis Bano case since the convicts sought frequent paroles, says, “Most of these children were born here… We shifted to this colony of 74 houses in 2004. A few years later, as things settled and the accused were convicted, many returned, confident that they would be able to rebuild a life… They all look up to Bilkis and her courage. But now, as the convicts are released, they are shattered… No one wants to go through the horror if a riot breaks out.”

Another villager Sabera Patel- Ghanchi, who had filed an FIR against convicts Radheshyam Shah and Mitesh Bhatt along with Shah’s brother after they were involved in a fight in June 2017 when Radheshyam was on parole, has also left her home and arrived in Devgadh Baria.

“I have a daughter and four grand daughters. If they have been released, what is the guarantee that they won’t be emboldened to repeat the crimes? We do not have any security,” said Sabera.

Sabera’s 2017 FIR resulted in a cross complaint from the convicts against her. The case is on trial at the local court, according to her advocate Vajesinh Labana.

On Monday, some of the 11 convicts, too, were not at their residence according to their family members. Radheshyam Shah’s brother Ashish said that his brother left for an outstation tour. “Ever since their release, the 11 people, including my brother, have been peacefully staying in the village, without interfering in anyone’s activities… My brother is currently out on a tour. If certain people feel threatened by those released, they are free to approach the authorities.”

Family members of co-convict Shailesh Bhatt and his brother Mitesh also claimed that the two were on tour. Sub-inspector of Randhikpur police station DG Vohania, said, “No law and order situation happened since the convicts returned to the village on August 15.” He added that police have been carrying out extensive patrolling in the village for one week.

Claiming that police were not aware of Muslim families leaving the village due to threat apprehensions, Vohania said, “The village has been calm and going about its usual business.”