Folk artist arrested for ‘assaulting’ owner of Gujarati daily in Rajkot

Khavad and two other men driving in a car allegedly assaulted Rana with iron pipes in Sarveshwar Chowk on the busy Yagnik Road of the city while the 30-year-old victim, who owns Samay Mirror, a Gujarati daily newspaper, was trying to get into his car during lunch break. Rana suffered injuries in his leg and feet. The alleged assault was captured by a CCTV camera installed in the area and was widely shared on social media.

Based on Rana’s complaint, ‘A’ Division police booked Khavad and two unidentified men under IPC Sections 307 (attempt to murder), 325 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt), 506(2) (criminal intimidation) and 114 (abettor present when offence is committed).

Khavad is an emerging artist who is known for his rendition of Gujarati folk literature at concerts called “Dayra” in Gujarati.

After being on the run for eight days, Khavad surrendered at the Rajkot Crime Branch office Friday afternoon. Later, Crime Branch officers handed him over to ‘A’ Division police.

“We had formed various teams to arrest Devayat Danbhai Khavad and two other men… Today, Khavad presented himself at the Crime (Branch) office. He was detained and handed over to ‘A’ Division police… he is being questioned,” said assistant commissioner of police (ACP), Bhargav Pandya.

In his complaint, Rana stated that he had an argument with Khavad around a year ago over Khavad’s argument with Rana’s maternal uncle about parking space in Raviratna Park in the city.

Police said that on December 7, Khavad and two others came in a car, which did not bear a registration number, in Sarveshwar Chowk. While Rana was trying to get into his car, Khavad and one of the two other men in the car got down from their vehicle and started beating Rana with iron pipes, while the third men who was at the wheel remained inside the car. After seriously injuring Rana, the trio sped away.

After the incident, members of the Kshatriya community, to which Rana belongs, had made representations to police, demanding immediate arrest of Khavad. On Thursday also, a group of Kshatriyas had made representation to police demanding the arrest of Khavad.