Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
Tags:
Journalism of Courage
Three persons were detained by Gotri police station in Vadodara city for the alleged murder of BJP leader Sachin Thakkar, who succumbed to injuries at a private hospital on Thursday, two days after he was reportedly assaulted on the Race Course Road.
The Vadodara City Police has suspended assistant head constable Pravin Dhulabhai attached to Gotri police station for “dereliction of duty”, as he did not initiate action in an application filed by Sachin’s cousin Pritesh on July 9 against the accused.
Parth Parikh, Wasiq alias Sahil Ajmeri and Vikas Lohana were detained based on the complaint filed by Sachin’s wife Reema.
After Sachin succumbed on Thursday, the police booked the accused under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code. Earlier, they had been booked under Section 307 (attempt to murder).
According to the FIR, Sachin and Pritesh had gone out on July 25 and allegedly got involved in an altercation with Parikh near a restaurant on Race Course road over the issue of parking.
Parikh, along with Ajmeri and Lohana, allegedly attacked Sachin and Pritesh with sticks and sharp objects.
Vadodara city Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 2) Abhay Soni, who issued the suspension order against Dhulabhai, said: “Parth Parikh and Pritesh had been involved in an altercation over parking in the same area on July 9. Pritesh had submitted an application at Gotri police station, seeking a probe as the accused — who was then unnamed — had used abusive language and threatened him. The application mentioned the car number of the accused… However, the constable was found to not have taken cognisance of the application…”
He added that primary investigation has revealed that the five men came face-to-face on July 25 as the Thakkars had “gone looking for” Parikh. “It is yet to be ascertained what made Sachin and Pritesh visit the house of Parikh’s mother in the vicinity where the incident occurred… Just before the assault, Sachin and Pritesh had visited Parikh’s mother’s house looking for him. When his mother informed him of this, Parikh arrived with his accomplices and the assault took place. We are probing the sequence of events…”
Soni said that the three detained men would be formally arrested after they undergo Covid-19 tests. The police said that it “does not appear” that there was any previous enmity between the accused and the victims.
As soon as the news of Sachin’s death spread, BJP leaders, including city party president Dr Vijay Shah, civic body whip Chirag Barot and former mayor Sunil Solanki, arrived at the hospital.
Shah said, “If the police had initiated timely action in the complaint, this tragedy could have been averted. We hope that the probe will head in the right direction and those involved will be given exemplary punishment.”
Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram
