Riot victim says jawan beat women

After the police, it’s now the turn of the Rapid Action Force (RAF) to come under fire. Deposing before the Justice G.T. Nanavati and J...

After the police, it’s now the turn of the Rapid Action Force (RAF) to come under fire. Deposing before the Justice G.T. Nanavati and Justice K.G. Shah Inquiry Commission, a riot victim from Gomtipur area on Monday alleged that an RAF jawan, part of a specialised riot-control force, was part of a mob that looted and set fire to houses in Mariambibi-ni-Chali area and had physically assaulted women of the locality.

Dr Jamil Sheikh alleged that the RAF jawan had also opened fire and injured a woman of the locality. He alleged that all this happened after an armed mob, comprising VHP and Bajrang Dal activists, attacked houses in Mariambibi- n- Chali a few days after the Godhra incident.

The medico also told the two-member commission that the RAF jawan had beaten up women of the locality besides kicking a pregnant woman in her stomach.

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He alleged that about 100 shops and 60-odd houses were set on fire by the mob that includes some local BJP leaders. The mob desecrated the Quran in a local mosque and also burst cylinders there, he alleged.

Mahesh Parmar, alleged that he had seen a local corporator, Iqbal Sheikh and a local social worker, Mustufa Manekchand being part of an armed mob which had attacked houses in the area.

Jeetendrakumar Solanki, a resident of Khadawali Chali locality of Gomtipur, alleged that a week after the Godhra incident, a police constable, Amar Patil, was hacked to death by a mob. And though a police party armed with rifles was present near the spot, they did not open fire as ‘‘their hands were trembling.’’

It was only after arrival of para-military forces that the situation was brought under control, he said. Solanki also accused the police of atrocities and said that innocent people were arrested and residents were beaten up without any provocation. One-hundred and forty-three people deposed before the commission today.

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Earlier in the day, a group of 16 voluntary organisations submitted an application to the commission, bringing to its notice the alleged intimidation of riot victims during hearings.

The application said the presence of a large number of police officials, especially from the respective police station areas that were taken up the by commission, made it difficult for the victims to speak out.

The application requested the commission to restrain the state government counsel from making public statements in verbal or written form, commenting upon the witnesses and their advocates and that riot victims be examined on the stipulated date without the presence of local police officials. The commission, however, is yet to decide on this.