Ever since police arrested 10 accused of Ahmedabad bomb blasts case hailing from Muslim community, Muslims in Ahmedabad’s Shahpur area are on rampage. Heavy stone pelting by Muslims injured Ahmedabad’s joint police commissioner Mohan Jha in latest incidents of violence that took place on early Tuesday morning. Earlier police inspector from border wing R.O. Patel was also injured on early Monday morning. 4 other constables too were injured while preventing stone pelting.

Violence broke out in Shahpur and Delhi Darwaja areas late on Sunday night after a minor tiff between two bikers who collided. Verbal arguments between the two took a violent turn as soon the supporters of both the groups indulged in stone pelting.

The situation was soon tense and had gradually worsened. Muslims started pelting stones on Hindu localities. Hindus who were once in majority in Shahpur area are now in minority here. Most of the Hindu localities and houses of Shahpur area are now occupied by Muslims. Till last assembly election BJP always won Shahpur assembly seat but in the last election Muslim MLA from Congress Gyasuddin Sheikh was victorious because of added Muslim voters and decrease of Hindu voters. In every riot, Muslims try their best to make maximum Hindus out of this area. In 2002’s post-Godhra riots one Hindu Jain was killed by Muslims. His was the last house of Hindu in particular Muslim street. His house was taken over by Muslims soon after the riots.

On early Monday morning , police men too were attacked by Muslims. Tones of large size stones were continuously thrown by Muslim youths from the roof tops of Muslim houses. Muslims were shouting ‘La Ilaha Illallah’ while pelting stones.

Insiders in police force believe the incident of minor accident was just a token show off and was not a real cause of heavy stone pelting by Muslims. The real reason behind this stone pelting was something else. Out of 10 Ahmedabad blasts accused, one was from Shahpur area. When SIMI was openly active in Ahmedabad before it was banned in 2001, Shahpur was the area where SIMI’s headquarter was situated. Just before some weeks SIMI’s sign board was also there on it’s old office building in Shahpur which was removed by police after an article in a local newspaper. The way Muslims have attacked police force, the way they have surrounded Tambu chowki post and SRP men deployed there in this week’s violence clearly indicate that Muslims are not happy with cracking of Ahmedabad blasts case and arrests of accused from their community. The real reason behind stone pelting and attacks on police is this.

Even in 2002 riots Muslims did not touch a single Hindu temple, but this time in Shahpur riot Muslims have dared to vandalize a small but old Hindu temple near Golvad circle. Muslims even torched Hindu Goddesses’ pictures and ‘Chundadi’ a holy piece of textile. Police commissioner himself had to rush to the place. Police fired 23 shells of tear gas on crowds. Earlier on Monday police had to fire 29 tear gas shells and 5 rounds of bullets to suppress Muslim rioters.

Shahpur MLA Gyasuddin Sheikh told media persons that Muslims would themselves collect fund and would re-establish Hindu idol in the temple that was vandalized. Situation was tense after news of torching and vandalizing of Hindu temple spread.

Rapid action force and additional forces were deployed in riot affected area.

It should be noted that when Lord Jagannath’s Rathyatra passes from Shahpur area every year, police has to make heavy deployment on the both sides of road due to past history of violence in this area. One police post ‘Andar police chowky’ is permanently deserted by Ahmedabad police in Shahpur area because it is surrounded by Muslim houses and Muslims here oppose presence of police in this post. Every time when some police man comes to this post, local Muslims form a group of people and attack the police post. In the absence of police all illegal activities then resumes here.