In fresh developments in the Shahpur stone pelting case, 25 accused were finally produced before a court on Wednesday, May 13. The incident took place on May 8 and shortly afterwards police began to take people into custody. This irked the magistrate conducting the proceedings, and he demanded an answer from the police as to the reason for delay.
Ordinarily, as per the law, any accused must be produced before a judge within 24 hours of arrest. But in this case the police delayed this claiming they were waiting for Covid-19 test results of the accused. This explanation failed to satisfy the court that then went on to question the rational behind charging the accused under Section 307 of the IPC that deals with attempt to murder! Ideally charging the accused under sections 323 and 324 should have been sufficient.
The accused also shared before the court instances of police brutality and excesses allegedly committed by the police upon them both at the scene of the violence as well as in custody. All accused have now been remanded to judicial custody.
Brief background of the case
The incident took place on May 8 in Ahmedabad’s minority dominated Shahpur Adda area after people reportedly refused to follow lockdown protocol and allegedly resorted to stone-pelting upon being confronted by police personnel patrolling the area. Later it came to light that police personnel also allegedly viciously beat up several people including aged, disabled and pregnant women.
The police however denied any allegations of brutality and booked people under sections 307, 337, 332, 333, 186, 143, 145, 147, 149, 151, 152, 188, 120 (B) and 427 of the IPC. The FIR says police were patrolling the area along with members of the Special Reserve Police (SRP) force at about 6:15 in the evening when they spotted three people outside their homes. When the requested the people to go inside they argued with the police and soon a mob of around 2000 people surrounded them and started stone pelting. Inspector RK Amin of the Shahpur police station and five other police personnel; inspector RJ Chudasama, Surveillance PI SR Balat, and constables Atulkumar Jayendra, Shailesh Govind, Divyaraj Nirubha were injured in the incident.
Related:
Ahmedabad violence: Police accused of beating up, arresting innocents in Shahpur