On July 29, a citizens’ delegation met with the Additional Director General (Law and Order), Shri Sanjay Saxena, to apprise the senior official of the on-ground situation in Gajapur village, Vishalgad area of Kolhapur, Maharashtra and highlight certain issues with the investigation being conducted into the communal violence that had taken place in the village. The said meeting was organised by Citizens for Justice and Peace, and delegation comprised Dolphy Dsouza, who represented The Bombay Catholic Sabha and Citizens for Justice and Peace, Dr. Frazer Mascarenhas S.J, Norbert Mendonca and Shakir Tamboli, Activist and member of the Indian National Congress.
The meeting between the Mr. Saxena and the delegation went on for 20 minutes, wherein the ADG gave the members of the delegations a patient hearing and time, assuring the people that he will look into the grievances and take appropriate action. Through the memorandum, the delegation has provided the senior officer with a timeline of the incidents that took place in Vishalgad as well as the Gajapur village on July 14, highlighting the role that certain anti-social element played in the eruption of communal violence. The memorandum, which also included the details of the FIR filed by the Kolhapur police, urged Mr. Saxena to ensure fairness into the investigation being conducted and to take action against those involved in the violence as well as those who conspired to create disharmony and public disorder in the area.
While submitting the memorandum, the members emphasised on the biased investigation taking place, resulting in kingpins of this violence not being arrested even after the passing of two weeks since the eruption of violence. In addition to this, the delegation also brought to the notice of attention of Mr. Saxena about an attempt to vitiate the atmosphere. Contents of posts circulating on social media, which were of provocative nature and instigated people to take law into their hands.
What does the memorandum state?
Specially referring to the targeted violence that took place in Gajapur village, wherein 40-50 houses of Muslim were burnt, their vehicles destroyed and a Mosque was demolished, the memorandum provided that “A violent mob broke into the mosque and set it on fire the mosque was heavily damaged. The entire area came under the attacks by the mob, particularly the Muslim houses in the neighbourhood. Gas cylinders were exploded with the intention of destroying the houses and valuable items were looted by the mob. Sir, the said incidents of inter-connected violence went on for almost two to three hours, but no arrests were made by the police officers who were reportedly present on the spot.”
In addition to this, the memorandum provided that “As per FIR number Crime Reg.No.224/2024, it was Sambhaji Raje Chhatrapati, who came to the foothills of Vishalgad at 1:30 PM, and it was reportedly he who had incited the mob by giving a provocative speech and shouting slogans. It was the said mob that then had then ransacked and looted the shops at the foothill. Four-wheeler and two-wheeler motorcycle standing there were vandalized and thrown into the valley in the presence of an inactive police.”
Based on the said details, the delegation through the memorandum wanted to seek accountability and justice over the said incident. According to them, the said Vishalgarh and Gajapur violence are the result of inexcusable lapses, even complicity by the police and revenue administration, and the investigation that has taken place till now is lax. The delegation had also highlighted the three inadequate FIRs filed by the police in regards to the violence, which has failed to use the necessary provisions required under law to hold the perpetrators accountable.
The demands raised through the memorandum:
The delegation, through the memorandum as well as the meeting, emphasised upon the atmosphere of fear and terror that the said incident created for the minority community, who are now left feeling like that they are not safe in their own countries, which is definitely harmful to a healthy democracy like India. The delegation urged for the immediate arrest action against all the concerned nuisance elements as only then will justice be ensured to the victims and any such future attempts to create disharmony will be deterred.
Hence, the main demand raised by the delegation was of the immediate suspension of district police chief Mahendra Pandit and a departmental inquiry against Tehsildar and Police Inspector of Shahuwadi for failing to take relevant actions on that fateful day and protecting the victims against the mob.
The memorandum provided “Therefore, keeping in mind the seriousness of the incident, we would also request the top echelons of the Maharashtra police to set up a SIT within the jurisdiction of top police officers to ensure intrepid, autonomous and independent investigation and take strict action against the offenders, even if they are persons in uniform. We also urge that the Maharashtra police opens channels of communication with local leaders of the affected and other communities, facilitates dialogue and finds a lasting, lawful durable solution to such deliberately fomented conflicts that disturb social harmony.”
The signatories to the said memorandum were Teesta Setalvad (Secretary, Citizens for Justice and Peace), Dolphy Dsouza, Dr. Frazer Mascarenhas S.J and Shakir Tamboli.
The complete memorandum can be read: