Correspondent, Rajkot

Protest against the death of a cow protection group leader in Rajkot following collective consumption of pesticide by eight people on March 17, continued in some parts of the state today even as the police has started the investigation of the death from a possible ‘conspiracy’ angle.

Bandh was observed in Mandvi, Rapar and some other areas of Kutch district, Banskantha and Valsad districts by various pro-Hindu outfits to protest the death of Hindabhai alias Gabhrubhai Lambadiya (Bharvad), the head of Vishwa Gauvansh Suraksha Samiti who was instrumental in saving thousands of cows from going to butchery and had died in the civil hospital in Rajkot on March 17 following consumption of pesticide with seven of his aides in collector office premised here after the expiry of 24 hours ultimatum period to the administration demanding declaration of cow as Rashtramata and complete ban on the sell of beef.

There were reports of detention of some protesters in Palanpur, the district headquarter of North Gujarat district of Banaskantha. In Southern city of Valsad activist of Hindu Mahasabha organized a rally and shut the shops and commercial establishment. A similar bandh yesterday had evoked mixed response in Saurashtra region.

Meanwhile Joint Commissioner of Police of Rajkot, Mr D C Bhatt today said that an investigation on the basis of media footage of the incident that took place in the collector office premises on March 17 has been ordered under an ACP rank official to check whether the deceased was handed over a bottle of more poisonous pesticide than others by some one during the quickly happened unfortunate act.

Reports have emerged that Hindabhai was to take a dilute form of the pesticide but in the heat of the moment some one handed him over a more poisonous solution which led to his death. Mr. Bhatt said that police has taken this in to account and started the inquiry. ‘We are studying the visuals of the incident,’ he said.

On the other hand, a local private hospital where seven others, who had also consumed poisonous liquid during the protest under the banner of Gujarat Gauraksha Ekta Samit, were shifted from the civil hospital, has discharged three of them.

– ACP level police officer is investigating the case.

– Video footage are procured from media persons and CCTV camera.

– A person from Morbi may have thrown a bottle of poison as per primary investigation.

– As per footage in media it was clearly visible that initially poison was consumed from bottles that had 25% posion and 75% water. Protestors had also briefly kept liquid in mouth and then they removed it outside. After police snatched away the bottles, a yellow color liquid bottle with 100% poison was thrown by someone. Protestors consumed it.

– One of the protestors who is undergoing treatment told Mamlatdar that they were not intending to give life. The bottle had only 25% poison. The question then arose that how 100% poison was supplied then.

– Mandvi in Kutch district observed bandh following the incident. The bandh call was given by Vishwa Hindu Parishad. Dharna, rallies and bandh were also observed in Valsad, Tapi, Palanpur, Tharad etc places.

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– DeshGujarat