This is an archive article published on January 16, 2015
Day after clashes, tension in Bharuch
Police and RAF personnel marched the streets in Hansot taluka as schools remained closed.
Written by Kamal Saiyed
Hansot | January 16, 2015 02:07 AM IST
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Police and RAF personnel marched the streets in Hansot taluka as schools remained closed. ( Source: Express photo)
A curfew-like situation prevailed in Hansot taluka of Bharuch district in south Gujarat on Thursday, a day after communal riots claimed two lives. Shops in the main market area remained closed, also celebrated as “Vasi Uttarayan” across Gujarat. Stray incidents of violence were reported even as police claimed the situation was “under control”. The police restricted the use of WhatsApp and Internet to check rumour-mongering.
Commuters heading towards Hansot town were stopped by mobs from both communities on the state highway, who asked them about their religious identities. A group of 15-20 people halted The Indian Express team at Sunev village on Thursday.
On Wednesday, in the aftermath of a communal clash over kites in Ambheta village of Hansot taluka, two villagers were stabbed to death. On Thursday , a godown in Ambheta village belonging to Suleman Saiyed was set ablaze. A police team, along with a fire-fighter, controlled the fire and caught the accused. Police found the accused used to work with Saiyed and had been sacked.
Police and RAF personnel marched the streets in Hansot taluka as schools remained closed. Five FIRs have been lodged for rioting, two murders, arson and plunder and nearly 17 persons from both communities arrested.
Riots broke out Wednesday after a quarrel between a Muslim and Hindu youth from Ambheta village, five kilometres from Hansot village in the taluka by the same name, over catching a kite.
Mobs torched and looted shops and homes of Muslims in Ambheta. Youths from Hansot rushed Ambheta and soon after plunder and arson broke out in Hansot village. A field with ready crop was set ablaze.
Two men — Pratik Magan Patel (29) and Sandeep Chhana Patel (32) — of Hansot village, were stabbed to death on Wednesday. Seven others severely injured are undergoing treatment in private hospitals in Surat and Bharuch. Among the injured, the condition of two youths is critical.
Kamal Saiyed is a senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, providing extensive, on-the-ground coverage from Surat and the broader South Gujarat region and the Union territories of Daman, Diu & Dadra Nagar Haveli. With a reporting career at the publication spanning back to 2007, he has established himself as a high-authority voice on the industrial, social, and political pulse of one of India’s fastest-growing urban hubs.
Expertise
Industrial & Economic Beat: Based in the "Diamond City," Saiyed offers expert reporting on the diamond and textile industries. His work tracks global market shifts (such as De Beers production changes), local trade policies, and the socio-economic challenges facing the millions of workers in Surat’s manufacturing hubs.
Civic & Infrastructure Coverage: He consistently reports on urban development and public safety in Surat, including:
Traffic & Urban Planning: Monitoring the city's 13-fold increase in traffic violations and the implementation of new municipal drives.
Public Safety: Investigative reporting on infrastructure failures, fire safety NOC compliance in schools and commercial buildings, and Metro rail progress.
Political Reporting: Tracking the shifting dynamics between the BJP, Congress, and AAP in South Gujarat and the neighboring Union Territories (Daman, Diu, and Dadra & Nagar Haveli).
Crime beat: Armed with a good source network Saiyed has been able to bring out the human side of crime stories in his region ... Read More
2 min read
Police and RAF personnel marched the streets in Hansot taluka as schools remained closed. ( Source: Express photo)
