Contrary to media reports that an alleged scuffle broke out between the police and locals on May 8 in Ahmedabad’s minority dominated Shahpur Adda area after people reportedly refused to follow lockdown protocol and resorted to stone-pelting upon being confronted, it now emerges that police also allegedly viciously beat up several people including aged, disabled and pregnant women.
An eyewitness, who wishes to remain anonymous, told Advocate Suhel Tirmizi, “Women had stepped out at the time of Iftar when we break our daily roza fast to make some purchases. That’s when the cops beat them up. The people got scared and then stone pelting started. Police fired tear gas shells and then started breaking and entering into people’s homes and physically assaulting them.” The eyewitness further said, “Police have arrested a lot of men. In fact, now the entire neighbourhood is almost devoid of men. The police came even this morning and made a fresh round of arrests.”
Advocate Irshad Mansuri who has spoken to several locals in the case says trouble began when a woman was returning after purchasing milk from a local dairy store. But the police stopped her and asked her if the store was selling items other than milk and then allegedly subsequently even raided the store. It is noteworthy that Ahmedabad is in a complete lockdown and only the sale of milk and medicines is permitted. However, does that legitimize beating up women?
Advocate Mansuri said, “There was also another case of a woman who was doing wazu or washing her hands before offering evening prayers. Her water tank was located outside her home so she had to step out. But the police did not accept this explanation and allegedly roughed her up. Not only this, when her pregnant daughter came to see what the commotion was all about, even she was not spared,.
According to Advocate Mansuri, locals allege that the police have not only beaten up women and children, but also allegedly taken at least 24 men and young boys into custody in connection with the incident.
Desh TV carried several testimonies of women who claim they were beaten up by the police. There are allegations that police also brutally beat up an 87-year-old visually impaired woman. The channel also carried footage of doors broken allegedly by the police when they forced themselves into people’s homes.
Meanwhile the police have filed an FIR against 17 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.
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