News in brief from across Gujarat

Ahmedabad

– Congress party had today given bandh call against hike in taxes by BJP ruled civic body in Bhavnagar. The bandh call evoked mix response. Jaydipsinh Gohil, leader of opposition in BMC said BMC has increased tax by 50 to 100%.

– Around 50 jewelers were detained in Vadodara as they attempted blockade of highway protesting 1% excise proposed in union budget. Similar blockade was attempted at Amreli-Pipavav state highway for one hour or so. Later police intervened and traffic was resumed.

– A group of Patidars from Surendranagar district returning from Kagvad where they attended Patidar community’s gathering organized by Hardik Patel led Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti(PAAS) yesterday ransacked Bamanbor toll plaza near Wankaner. It is understood that Patidars were refusing to pay toll tax. When challenged they attacked toll plaza office. CCTV cameras have captured the incident. Toll plaza operator has filed complaint against 50-100 persons for loot and damage to property.

– MLAs of opposition Congress party today walked out of Gujarat Assembly house seeking M.B. Shah committee report to be tabled.

– Gujarat Congress today held dharna at number of places across Gujarat protesting interest rate cut in small savings by central government.

– Caste based politics is continuing in Gujarat ahead of the general elections of assembly next year. ‘Sabarkantha Rajput Samaj’ today organized token fast programme at Tower Chowk in Himmatnagar in north Gujarat and demanded that reservation must be on economic basis and not caste basis. Organizers of this fast programme claimed they had support of Patidar and Brahmin communities in this cause.

– Gujarat Congress President Bharatsinh Solanki on the sidelines of dharna event today said the State government has no plan to provide drinking water in this summer. The Congress party will give programme against it soon, he added.

– Gujarat Chief Minister Smt Anandiben Patel has written letter to each village sarpanch across Gujarat explaining the details of rural development schemes by government.

– The happiness and joy of the Indian cricket fans in Surat following Team India’s sensational win against Australia in the crucial T 20 encounter in Mohali last night turned in to a different experience with police using baton charge to control the undisciplined revelers.The crowd, with a large number of youngsters, was rejoicing the win driven by swashbuckling 82 of 51 balls by Virat Kohli and were dancing and cracking fireworks on the road near Bhagan crossing. This led to a major jam. Many of the passers-by were trapped with their vehicles.Police reached the spot and when it failed to pursue the crowd to stop reveling on the road it resorted to baton charging to disperse the crowd which had assembled on the road.A local cricket fan Sumit Dave who was also the part of crowd quipped that some people including him sustained minor injuries but the ecstatic feeling of India’s dashing move to T 20 world cup semis made it bearable.

– There has been another police complaint against gangster Gova Rabari who is in jail under life term. The fresh complaint has been filed for keeping mobile phone in jail. Rabari is accused of one murder within jail complex and another murder outside the jail. He is in Vadodara central jail.

– CBI court rejected IPS Satish Verma’s plea seeking chargesheet in Ishrat encounter case.

– Ever since a new police commissioner has joined duty in Rajkot, the local police has started cracking down on criminals actively. The latest is Shakti alias Tabu who has been involved in 28 different incidents of crime. Police Detection Staff arrested Shakti for fresh incident of violence and organized his procession on public road to shame him.

– Gangster Babloo Srivastava was today produced in a local court here in bulletproof jacket in the wake of alleged threat to his life from the underworld rivals and terrorists. Srivastava was even brought to the sessions court in connection with the procedures related to charge frame in Amajad Dalal firing case in a bulletproof “Vajra” vehicle of the police. The crime branch of Surat police had taken his possession from the police of Uttar Pradesh, where he was earlier lodged in Bareilly jail. The case is related to the attempt to murder Surat based real estate businessman Amjad Dalal in March 2010 allegedly by the shooters of Bablu’s gang who had mistaken him for Satta king Afroz Fatta for whom the gangster had taken contract money for murder from another businessman from Mumbai. Notorious underworld don Chhota Rajan was also among one of the around half a dozen accused in the case. Babloo had, in fact approached the apex court seeking security during court production saying he has life threat from the underworld and terrorist elements.

– After much dilly dallying, charges were finally framed against seven accused including self styled godman Asaram Bapu, his wife Laxmiben and daughter Bharti in local court today in connection with a sensational rape and sexual exploitation case.Jailed Asaram attended the court proceedings today through video conferencing from Jodhpur jail in neighbouring Rajasthan where he is lodged in another rape case involving a minor girl. The other six accused Laxmiben, Bharti and four followers Nirmala, Meera, Jaswantika and Dhruv remained physically present. All of them refused the charges leveled against them.The disputed godman, during his presence through skype, requested the court to expedite the trial looking at his age and medical condition.The court fixed April 13 as the next date of hearing in the matter.The case of sexual assault was registered in 2013 against Asaram Bapu. The complaint was lodged by one of the two surat based sisters. The other sister lodged a similar case against Asaram’s son Narayan Sai (currently lodged in Lajpore central jail of Surat)The elder of the two sisters has alleged in her complaint that she was raped by Asaram at his Ahmedabad ashram; the younger sister has accused Narayan Sai of raping her in Surat. They said that they were Asaram’s followers and the incidents took place between 2002 and 2004. The complaint against Narayan Sai has been registered at Jhangirpura police station in Surat, while the one against his father Asaram was transferred to Ahmedabad as the alleged incident happened there.

– As many as 36 are held for using direct connection of power in PGVCL raid in Sayla-Muli belt of Surendranagar district.

– Five days ago Surat based cargo company’s vehicle was looted near Mahemdavad. Two cars had obstructed Surat vehicle which was on way to Ahmedabad airport with Rs 22 lakh valuables of gold and diamond. After thorough check of CCTV footage and doubtful car, police has resolved the case. Of 6 accused held, 2 are women, 5 are fake journalist. Main accused Pritiben publishes ‘Naari Awaj’ magazine.

– DeshGujarat