Internet ban extended till tomorrow in Morbi, Surendranagar, Dhrangadhra observes bandh

Surendranagar/Morbi/Ahmedabad: The ban on Internet services in Surendranagar and Morbi districts of Gujarat has been elongated till 2 pm tomorrow to avoid any untoward incident in the wake of death of yet another person injured in community based clash in Halvad area of Morbi district on July 13 even as a bandh called in Dhrangadhra town to protest the incident evoked wide response.

Many of the shops and educational institutions remained shut in Dhrangadhra town. In another development the Maldhari community today agreed to accept the dead body of the third deceased in the incident after a meeting of its representatives with DGP Geeta Johri and assurance of action against the culprits and inclusion of section 120 B of the IPC pertaining to criminal conspiracy in the FIR. The PI of Halvad Bhojani has also reportedly been transferred as a symbolic punishment.

Collector of Surendranagar Udit Agrawal said that the internet services in his district and neighbouring Morbi which were suspended after the death of the third injured last evening till 12 pm today would remain like that till 2 pm tomorrow.

Notably two people of Bharvad community had died on July 13 in the clash while one injured of the same community succumbed at civil hospital in Ahmedabad yesterday.

The clash had taken place while people of Kshatriya community from Morbi and Halvad were going to participate in the Besanu of former chairman of the Dhraghdra municipality in neighbouring Surendranagar district, Indrasinh Zala, an influential local leader of the community who was murdered on July 7. They had a clash with people from Bharvad community on Dhrangadhra road in which gun shots were also fired and over 25 vehicles were torched or damaged.

Internet services were also banned on July 13 and 14 to avoid any flare up.

Notably, several incidents of clash between the two communities had taken place after the murder of the leader in which the Kshatriya community suspects the hands of certain Bharvad community people with whom the deceased leader had old rivalry.

On July 10 incidents of stone pelting and arson were witnessed during bandh organized by Kshatriya community in Surendranagar district to protest the murder.

DeshGujarat