High level committee to take decisions on Bapunagar situation:HC

Ahmedabad

Update: Para military force to be deployed in Bapunagar tomorrow. Decision on whether to impose curfew or not to be taken in the morning. Route and time of funeral procession to be taken in consultation with custodian death victim Swetang’s family. Two Police Inspectors (PD Parmar and RR Vasava) of Bapunagar police station are transferred. One of them has been transferred to Rajkot, while other to Vadodara.

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Update:

Advocate General moved application to move High Court in urgent situation in the evening.

Police told court that as per a news report, 1 lakh Patidars could gather for Swetang Patel’s funeral procession on Sunday. In this situation law and order situation go worse. In such situation police sought powers for declaring curfew if need arise, for taking decision on funeral procession’s route and for taking decision on number of people to be allowed in funeral procession.

The court asked why police has fear that law and order situation could go worse? The Court observed that actions are not taken against those in Bapunagar police.

Advocate General told court that probe has been handed over to CID(Crime), and actions are not taken as victim’s mother has not stated name of any cop in her statement.

The court then said that whoever is incharge of Bapunagar police station has to be transferred outside Ahmedabad first.

The high power committee will assess and review the situation and take decision on whether to impose curfew, route and attendance in funeral procession. The court in its order said that while implementing any decision, there should be no breach of law. If someone is found breaching law, he should be dealt with strictly.

The court wished that there should be no politics over this issue and cremation would be peaceful.

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In a special hearing on Raksha Bandhan day evening, Gujarat High Court today evening directed state police chief(DGP) to transfer those cops involved in custodial death of Swetang Patel outside the city.

Apprehending violence on Sunday during funeral procession of Swetang Patel, Police had sought some permissions to deal with the situation in Bapunagar area on Sunday. In response to this, after hearing, the court left decisions on imposing curfew in Bapunagar tomorrow, restrictions on route of funeral procession of Patel and taking decision on number of people to be allowed in funeral procession to high power committee which is led by Chief Secretary. It has home secretary(ACS), DGP, DG law and order, DG intelligence as its members.

During today’s hearing, Home secretary(ACS) PK Taneja, city police commissioner, sector 1 and sector 2 head, ATS chief Himanshu Shukla, DCP crime Dipen Bhadran were among those present in court.

Meanwhile ahead of the funeral day, state CID Crime team led by JK Bhatt reached Swetang’s house to record statement of Swetang’s mother.

In another development, state Police Chief Thakur today visited Ghad village of Banaskantha district where two persons were killed in police firing during Patidar violence.