Vadodara: 10 held in clash over the arrest of 1 for ‘offensive’ social media post
While a heavy police deployment is in place in the area, the police have also begun the process of identifying the accused from a mob of about 150 people booked in the FIR for rioting at Navapura police station
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A large number of people came out in Budhana town in Muzaffarnagar on Saturday night following speculation over the release of a man, who belongs to a different community and was arrested earlier that day for allegedly posting a “derogatory” social media post.The Vadodara city police on Friday arrested 11 people in two separate FIRs, including one for rioting after two groups clashed on Thursday night in the Navapura area of the city. While a heavy police deployment is in place in the area, the police have also begun the process of identifying the accused from a mob of about 150 people booked in the FIR for rioting at Navapura police station.
The clash occurred on Thursday evening when Jatin Patel, a mobile shop owner, was at the police station along with his supporters to register an FIR against one Shahid Patel, who had allegedly made “offensive comments that hurt religious sentiments” on a live Instagram video started by Jatin Patel on February 21.
Jatin Patel said in his FIR, “I habitually make live Instagram videos to announce offers available at my mobile shop and during one such video on February 21, when I addressed my live audience with a ‘Jai Shree Ram’ chant, one person named Shahid Patel made comments to offend my religious sentiments. When we searched for his residence, we learnt he was a resident of Padra and on trying to contact him, he deleted his comment from my post… He abused me and threatened me and so I approached the police station.”
On Thursday evening, when Navapura police station was in the process of formally arresting Shahid Patel, the complainant Jatin Patel and his group of supporters were present at the police station. The second FIR registered on Friday by Aakash Rathwa stated that a mob of around 150 people charged towards the police station and started pelting stones at the complainant and his supporters.
Deputy Commissioner of Police, Zone 2, Abhay Soni, said, “The incident took place late on Thursday while the Navapura police station had taken Shahid Patel in custody over the complaint filed by a shop owner for hurting religious sentiments… At that time, a mob of about 100 persons emerged from the Khatkiwad lane and gathered near the local Masjid, which is a few metres away from the police station. The situation escalated as miscreants pelted stones and a clash ensued. The police were quick to bring the situation under control and disperse the mob…”
Soni said that 10 people have been arrested in the case of rioting and 22 others have been identified. He added, “We are checking the CCTV footage of the incident and we have identified 22 persons. So far, a total of 11 persons have been arrested in the two FIRs, including Shahid Patel… We are also investigating if the riot was pre-planned.”
While Shahid Patel has been booked under Indian Penal Code Sections 153(A) (promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion etc), 295(A) (deliberate and malicious acts, that are intended to outrage religious feelings), and 504 (intentional insult to provoke breach of peace), the FIR for rioting against the mob has been filed under IPC Sections 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 149 (member of an unlawful assembly guilty of the prosecution of the common object), and 337 (rash or negligent act to endanger human life).
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