Trainee cop killed in brawl

VADODARA, MAY 8: One trainee policeman died and several people, including civilians, were injured in a clash between students of the Poli...

VADODARA, MAY 8: One trainee policeman died and several people, including civilians, were injured in a clash between students of the Police Training School PTS and owners of stalls and workers at a fair at the Kala Bhavan grounds on Rajmahal Road here on Thursday. The deceased has been identified as Salim Anubhai Kataria of Rajkot.

According to Summer Mela 8217;99 manager Deepak Parmar, the trouble began at around 9.30 pm when some 25 police trainees came to the main gate of the mela and demanded entry without tickets. The argument developed into a brawl and, said Parmar, 8220;We overpowered two of them, while the rest escaped.8221;The fair manager said he immediately called the police control room and handed over the two youths to a mobile patrol police, who let them off with a verbal admonishment. Around 10.30 pm, however, 150-200 of them returned, armed with sticks.

8220;They entered the fairground through the main gate as well as by breaking the tin wall and went berserk. They beat up anybody who happened tocome in their way8221;, Parmar said, showing tubelights, coffee and cold drink stalls, vehicles and toy cars allegedly damaged by the PTS trainees. 8220;They left only when one of them whistled on hearing a police vehicle approach.8221;Ten people, including two security-guards, were injured by the trainees, Parmar alleged, adding that a sum of Rs 1.5 lakhs was missing from the office cupboard. The total loss is estimated at Rs 5 lakhs. Strangely, neither the police, nor the stall-holders spoke of any retaliation by the latter. Asked how the two PTS trainees 8212; one of whom succumbed on Friday 8212; were injured, Parmar pleaded ignorance. 8220;I only know a PTS trainee was found unconscious by the police and rushed to the hospital8221;, he said. Kataria had been apparently hit on the head.

The Raopura police has registered cross-FIRs in the case. While one of the organisers has filed a case of rioting against unidentified PTS trainees, an attempt to murder case 8212; subsequently changed to a murder case 8212; was registered againstunidentified persons8217; for the assault on Kataria.PTS principal H C Solanki said Kataria8217;s body was handed over to his parents, who took it to Rajkot this afternoon. Police Commissioner J Mahapatra said they were trying to identify the PTS trainees involved. Once identified, they would be arrested soon, he said, however, adding that the organisers had not sought security either before or after the incident. The mela resumed on Friday evening.