Violence erupts during demolition of dargah, 13 arrested: Police

In total, 11 structures — including residences and a religious building — were eventually torn down on Monday.

SP Jadeja told The Indian Express, “There were a total of 12 properties that needed to be demolished because they were illegally constructed on government land. While the 11 residences and shops were demolished peacefully, locals came forward and claimed that some previous officer had promised that the dargah would not be demolished.”

SP Jadeja added, “There was a conversation between the residents and the Mamlatdar staff regarding the religious building and that turned into an altercation. When the boundary wall of the dargah was demolished, about 100 women and children came out and the argument intensified but the demolition had to be done. Then suddenly, people started pelting stones at the police. In turn, the police tried to disperse the crowd through lathicharge but since the situation was dire, they fired three teargas shells. The situation was thereafter brought under control.”

Regarding the demolition, SP Jadeja said after the crowd was controlled, the demolition went ahead and the remaining debris was cleared out by Tuesday morning.

An FIR was filed at Prabhas Patan police station on the basis of a complaint by Deputy Mamlatdar (Circle Officer) Ranjeetsinh R Kher, on behalf of the State.

The FIR said the team from the Mamlatdar office had gone to clear illegal construction on government land survey number 831 and peacefully completed the same on Monday morning.

However, on Monday evening, when they started to demolish Hazrat Rangeelashah Dargah, a crowd of 70-100 residents gathered at 5:55 pm and began shouting at the team. The FIR stated that the police asked the crowd to disperse but they allegedly began pelting stones at the police. In response, the police carried out a light lathicharge and fired three teargas shells.

A total of 17 people and a crowd of others were booked under BNS sections for unlawful assembly, rioting, assaulting or obstructing a public servant trying to disperse an unlawful assembly, endangering human life and personal safety, and causing hurt to a public servant. They were also booked under section 135 of The Gujarat Police Act.