The body of the slain youth, says his advocate, had 39 injury marks and toes and feet had turned black indicating brutal torture, says advocate Mongolia. In the same incident a Muslim youth had also been reportedly tortured.
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Ahmedabad: Demanding justice for Ketan Patel, angry Patidar leaders submitted a memorandum to additional DGP VM Pargi on April 7. Pargi is one of the officers who has received reprimand and negative mention in the Best Bakery Judgement sessions court judgement in the re-trial in February 2006.
Patidar leaders Dinesh Bambhaniya, Ketan Patel, Varun Patel, and others had gone to meet DGP Geeta Johri at secretariat in Gandhinagar but as she was away for some work, they met Pargi. The memorandum demanded that the deceased Patidar youth who has been ‘murdered' by cops should get justice. A criminal offence/murder case should be registered against the concerned cops so that the Patel community's trust remains with the police, it stated. Pargi said action would be taken in the case as per law.
Total bandh was observed in Mehsana on Wednesday in the wake of alleged custodial torture leading to the death of 28-year-old Ketan Patel of Balol village. While the bandh was suo motu in most parts, Patidar youths arrived at some places an enforced the shutdown even as eight paramilitary forces and over 500 cops were deployed on streets, near hospitals and in sensitive areas to avoid any untoward incident. As Mehsana is deputy CM Nitin Patel's constituency, over 100 policemen and SRP have been deployed in front of his office there. Several IPS officers have also reached Mehsana. Citing the preliminary post mortem report, Patidar leader and advocate BM Mangukia said Ketan's body bore 39 injury marks. Most of the injuries were on his neck, back, hands and legs. His toes and base of the feet had turned black, he claimed. “We demand that post mortem of the body should be conducted again as the autopsy report received now is incomplete. It does not have the details whether he died of injuries.
The stir will continue till a case of murder is lodged against the responsible cops. Police is trying to run away from its responsibility,” Mangukia said. Mehsana PAAS core committee member Narendra Patel and the kin of the deceased said they will not take Ketan's body, lying at Mehsana Civil Hospital, till a murder complaint is lodged against Bharat Barot, PI of Mehsana taluka police station and three other constables. They have demanded that cops should be suspended.
Demanding severe action against the policemen and jail staff responsible for the suspicious death of 28-year-old Patidar youth named Ketan Patel, Patidar Amanat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) had earlier called for bandh in Mehsana, a strong hold of Patidars. Majority of trader and people supported the band called by PAAS and almost 75 per cent of market throughout the area remained closed in support of the call.
However, reports of mob pelting stones at the Mehsana Municipal Corporation office have emerged. Besides, a group of people damaging vehicles outside a government office and breaking window panes have also been reported.