Ruchi kin leaves for Madurai

AHMEDABAD, April 15: The father of the missing Ruchi Chavda, his relative, and a police sub-inspector left for Madurai by flight on Thurs...

AHMEDABAD, April 15: The father of the missing Ruchi Chavda, his relative, and a police sub-inspector left for Madurai by flight on Thursday evening to see if a girl found there was Ruchi. They are likely to reach there on Friday, as they have taken a flight to Chennai, from where they will take another flight on Friday noon.

The Gandhinagar public, meanwhile, on their own observed a total bandh to express solidarity with the Chavda family.

The court set Friday for hearing the police plea for remanding the four accused 8212; Daksha Shukla, Rashmi Mevada, Bharat Jadeja, and Gumansinh Sisodiya 8212; in police custody, and also the bail application of the accused.

The CBI office in Mumbai is yet to decide on which investigators will probe the case. The investigators should be on their way in another two days.

In Gandhinagar, a group of some 500 people staged a rally at Gh-5 sector and marched towards the Vidhan Sabha. Near Gh-4, they joined the Youth Congress protest march. The crowd then pelted stones at the police.

Another group of 500 people reached the house of Daxa Shukla and pelted stones. They were about to set fire to the house, but other residents of the colony dissuaded them. All shops and businesses in Gandhinagar observed bandh. There was no need for the the crowds to force them to down shutters.

A source in the police said Ruchi8217;s father and the relative were to leave for Madurai by the morning flight via Mumbai. But they were unable to do so for lack of funds in the police department.

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The state government had approved travel for four persons 8212; two from the Chavda family and two from the police. But the amount sanctioned, Rs 60,000 wasn8217;t immediately available with the police. So the plan to take the morning flight was cancelled.

Even about noon there was confusion about whether the government would bear the travel expenses or not. Finally, it was decided that the government would bear the expenses of one family member and one police officer.

A well-wisher of the family disbursed the amount for the two family members and the police officer who have left. The police department has promised to return the sub-inspector8217;s fare as soon as the government clears the money.