1 dead in Junagadh clashes after dargah gets notice during encroachment drive
At least 174 people have been detained in connection with the incident that saw around 500-600 protesters pelting stones and clashing with police near Majevadi Darwaja dargah on Friday night
Gandhinagar: One person died while at least five police personnel were injured after violent clashes erupted in Gujarat’s Junagadh city following the civic body’s notice to a dargah as part of its anti-encroachment drive, officials said on Saturday.
At least 174 people have been detained in connection with the incident that saw around 500-600 protesters pelting stones and clashing with police near Majevadi Darwaja dargah on Friday night. The police lobbed tear gas shells and baton-charged the protesters to control the situation, officials said.
On June 14, the Junagadh municipal corporation served a notice to the Majewadi dargah, asking its administration to produce legal documents pertaining to the ownership of land within five days, officials said.
“Agitated over the notice, around 500-600 people gathered near the religious structure and blocked roads on Friday night,” Junagadh superintendent of police (SP) Ravi Teja Vasamsetty told reporters.
A police team led by the city’s deputy superintendent of police tried to convince protesters to clear the blockade, however, protesters attacked the police and hurled stones at them around 10.15 pm, the SP said, adding that a mob also set a vehicle on fire.
To control the situation, the police resorted to lathi-charge and use of tear gas shells. At least five police personnel, including the deputy SP, were injured in the incident, Vasamsetty said.
“A civilian died and it appears that stone-pelting was the cause of his death,” the SP said. “But we are waiting for a post-mortem report to know the exact cause.”
A Muslim lawyer, meanwhile, accused the civic body of trying to “create a communal tension” in the city that has always lived in harmony.
“The dargah is around 150 to 200 years old and it is registered in the city survey registers. I don’t understand why the corporation authorities are asking for its papers to be produced. They pasted the notice on the dargah building yesterday (Friday), but the date on the notice is June 14,” Ashfaq, a city-based lawyer who uses only single name, alleged. “Similarly, they also served a notice with false dates to another dargah situated inside the Uparkot fort area.”
“Some of us advocates will meet the municipal commissioner and the superintendent of police regarding this,” Ashfaq added.
The civic body, however, rejected allegations that a particular community was being targeted as part of its “anti-encroachment” drive.
“It was not a notice. All the corporation has done is asked the dargah authorities to produce their documents,” Junagadh municipal commissioner Rajesh Tanna told HT. “This encroachment drive has nothing to do with a particular religion. We have issued such inquiries to around seven-eight religious structures, including three-four temples.”
The civic body chief said the matter has been distorted. “Can’t we (Municipal Corporation) ask questions?” he added.