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Journalism of Courage
VADODARA, May 9: The seven Police Training School students arrested by the Raopura police last night in connection with the rioting at the Summer Mela 8217;99 on Thursday have admitted their involvement and have also furnished the names of several others who were involved.
While refusing to divulge the identity of those involved in the dust-up on the grounds that it would impede investigations, officials, however, said the PTS hostels would be searched to find Rs 1.5 lakhs allegedly stolen from the mela office cupboard. When asked why the search had been delayed so long, an official said they were busy preparing the details of the arrested persons before they were produced in front of a magistrate. 8220;We will conduct the searches tomorrow8221;, he added.
Meanwhile, Director-General of Police C P Singh, who was in the city in connection with a cultural programme organised by the Vadodara Rural Police, visited the PTS and asked the authorities for better checks on the trainees8217; movement after hours.
PTS principal H C Solanki said that no one found guilty in the matter would be spared.
Regarding the investigation of the death of PTS trainee Salim Kataria, who was found unconscious in the fairground where the PTS trainees went on the rampage, and subsequently expired at SSG Hospital, Police Commissioner J Mahapatra said the probe, and efforts to identify the accused, were underway.
8220;We hope to arrest the suspects very soon, perhaps by Monday8221;, he told Express Newsline. 8220;No one, however rich or powerful, will escape. Full justice will be done.8221;
Asked if the Central Bureau of Investigation was investigating the Kataria case 8212; as reported in a section of the Press on Sunday 8212; a shocked Mahapatra retorted, 8220;Law and order is a state subject and it comes under the jurisdiction of the state police. quot;The CBI is under the Union Home Ministry and has no power to start suo motu investigation in any case in the State. It can investigate only if asked by the State government after due process.8221;
He added that the police was fully competent to handle any case pertaining to law and order.
In another development, Deepak Pawar, manager of the Summer Mela, when contacted, said that Shreji Shinde, the fair organiser, was not missing. 8220;He is very much in the city but is not meeting people because of his high blood pressure and diabetes problems8221;, he said.
Meanwhile, the condition of another PTS trainee Navalsinh Ghanshyamsinh, who was injured during the fairground assault, was said to be improving at the SSG Hospital.
