SURAT, July 21: Controversy surrounds three FIRs filed by the Surat city police in similar cases of assault on auto-rickshaws plying at night. Though no headway has yet been made in these cases, the Sahakar Autorickshaw Sangh alleges that the targets in each of the three cases - and 14 others - that occurred after the Bardoli communal violence last month were members of the minority community.Police officials, however, dismiss the SAS allegations against the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Bajrang Dal as ``highly exaggerated'', pointing out that its leaders have not been able to substantiate any of its claims.Gulam Memon, president of the SAS to which a majority of the Muslim autorickshaw drivers belong, however, alleges, ``These are well-planned attacks specifically targeting Muslims and following the same modus operandi. Two persons get on to three-wheelers driven by Muslims and ask them to stop some distance away to `pick up' someone, usually in Ved Road, Gopipura, Bombay Market, Kailashnagar, Rustompura, Adajan Road, Rampura and Lal Darwaja.``The moment the rickshaw stops, the driver is either beaten up with knuckledusters (which, while not inflicting any serious flesh injury, cause internal injuries) and/or relieved of cash and other belongings.''Asked why FIRs were not filed in all the 17 alleged cases, Memon says rickshaw drivers who do not lose too much money did not bother to lodge a case. ``In two other instances, the police refused to register FIRs'', he claims.While assuring that the charge of refusal to register complaints against the Mahidharpura and Sangrampura police stations would be investigated, as also the incidents themselves, Additional Police Commissioner P C Thakur points out that Memon could not substantiate his allegations when he called on the police commissioner on Monday.``He is creating a bogey'', a senior police officer says, dismissing any communal angle to the episode.Thakur also told Express Newsline that the police had been asked not to be rough with autorickshaw drivers working at night, admitting that they had stepped up vigilance after a couple of three-wheelers were found to have been involved in crimes in Katargam.Memon, however, says the attacks, coming within a month of the Bardoli incidents, could not be a coincidence. ``The three FIRs that have been lodged were registered because the victims had to be admitted to hospital. This must be the work of hooligans associated with the saffron brigade.''Pooh-poohing the charge, city VHP president Mangalsen Chopra says, ``Such provocative and mischievous allegations should not be made against the VHP. We played no part in the incidents; it is up to the police to find out who did. They have no connection with the Bardoli chapter''. Top
