Only Muslims died, sent to hospital, cops say it’s coincidence

The facts make it clear which community is worse off but DIG (Ahmedabad range) A K Sharma dismisses it as a coincidence: ‘‘It is a mere coincidence that all the men killed either in police or private firing are Muslims.’’

Yet Sharma concedes that one of the three casualties — Zakir Yusuf — was killed accidentally by the police while they were trying to stamp out loot and arson. The other two, he maintains, died in private firing (implying that someone from the crowd fired).

But District Collector Anita Karwal admits that the Muslims bore the brunt. ‘‘It is a matter of concern but before commenting on the whole issue, I will wait for the final reports because investigations are on,’’ she says.

It’s not just the deaths but their manner that has raised questions. Thirty-year-old Sharif Safi, allegedly shot by former councillor Purshottam Jadhav, was carrying fodder when he was made target. Police confirmed that a pile of fodder was found near the spot where he died.

Says Sharif’s distraught mother Farida: ‘‘He had no role in the flare-up. Now I am left with two mentally challenged sons, Sharif’s widow and their four-year-old son.’’ She could not even pay for her son’s burial.

Killed in police firing at his residence — it’s over 2 km from the spot where the clash took place — Zakir Yusuf was standing on his terrace when a bullet pierced his chest.

‘‘He was on the terrace when a police bullet hit him. We rushed him to Ahmedabad’s V S Hospital in our car but he was declared dead,’’ say Zakir’s family members.

Zakir Allarakha was allegedly shot by Jadhav when he rushed from a nearby mosque to play peacemaker. ‘‘He was trying to convince everyone to maintain peace when he was shot,’’ claims Allarakha’s friend Ismail Sheikh who was there when the incident occurred. Recalls Allarakha’s mother Naseema Begum: ‘‘My son ran from the mosque to stop this madness. This is the holy month of Ramzan. Yet they shot him.’’ Allarakha is survived by his wife and a two-month-old son. Although the communal cauldron’s simmering, politicians don’t seem to be helping matters. Viramgam MLA Vajubhai Dodiya not only avoided meeting representatives of the minority community, citing security reasons, but also blamed them for fomenting trouble.

‘‘The minority community,’’ says Dodiya, ‘‘is always trying to disrupt law and order and they are responsible for the rioting.’’ So the blame game continued on Monday. Muslims of Chandfali grieved for the dead and wailed about their looted shops while Purshottam Jadhav’s wife and others pointed accusing fingers at the Muslims. Says Savita, Jadhav’s wife:

‘‘The Muslim boys deliberately threw the ball into the temple. My husband repeatedly warned them but they ignored him and entered the Gangeshwar Mahadev temple during puja. How could my husband use his gun? It stopped working some years ago.’’

But DIG Sharma is convinced: ‘‘Jadhav fired four rounds from his .12 bore. He has admitted he abused the boys who were playing playing cricket and this led to stone-pelting and rioting’’. Sixteen-year-old Firoz Suleiman, one of the boys who saw it all happen, says: ‘‘I told my brother to come out as Jadhavbhai was hitting us. My brother argued with him and Jadhav shouted loudly, calling other Hindus. They came armed with sticks and rods.’’

Police have arrested 15 Hindus, including Jadav, and 9 Muslims, among them two boys. Viramgam hasn’t heard the last of this.