7 arrested for lynching Chhattisgarh man in Gujarat on suspicion of theft

Four accused were arrested on Tuesday, while three others were arrested Wednesday, according to Deputy Superintendent of Police VR Bajpai.

“Four who were arrested on Tuesday were produced before the court on Wednesday where we asked for their five-day remand for further investigation. The court gave us their remand for one day. We have also arrested three more people on Wednesday at 7 pm in the case,” said Bajpai.

The four accused — Vishnu Sodha, Lalsinh Sodha, Suresh Parmar and Ganpat Dabhi, have been booked under Sections 143 (member of an unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 149 ( member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 302 (murder) and 114 (abettor present when offence is committed) of Indian Penal Code (IPC). Three arrested on Wednesday are Vikram Parmar, Jagdish Parmar and Kirit Chauhan.

A first information report (FIR) in connection with the case was lodged at Mahemdabad police station on Monday.

Kherwar, who came to Ahmedabad a year ago, got in touch with 22-year-old Manish Kumar Singh for work. The complainant in the case, Singh works at the high-speed railway terminal in Sabarmati and hails from Chhapra district in Bihar. He said police found his number in Kherwar’s belongings and called him to “identify the body of a person who died during treatment for assault injuries at Ahmedabad Civil hospital”.

Kherwar is survived by his wife and three sons, aged 17, nine and seven years. He lived with his family in Madhna. His parents and siblings stayed at Harigawan village.

Kherwar’s wife Indarso (31) told The Indian Express, “He was the sole breadwinner of the family. This was the first time that he had gone to Gujarat alone. He had gone to Gujarat twice in the past with a group of seven-eight men. I want the government to help me educate my children and compensate for our loss. I hope the government helps us bring back his body since we cannot afford the expense.”

A farmer who grew rice and corn, Kherwar went to Gujarat to make extra money. According to the family, he was working at a brick kiln in Gujarat.

Indarso said she received a call from the police on Monday morning, informing that Kherwar was attacked and murdered near a railway station. Her father-in-law and brother-in-law have left for Ahmedabad to bring back the body. Kherwar’s relative Baram Singh, who was on the way to Ahmedabad, said on Wednesday evening that they will collect the body from Ahmedabad Civil Hospital on Thursday morning.

On March 19, a 35-year-old Nepalese national was lynched in Sanand on suspicion of theft. Ten persons were arrested in connection with the incident.