AHMEDABAD: Peace continues to elude Himmat Nagar in Gujarat following the communal riots which
began during the Ram Navami processions on Sunday. Despite prohibitory orders being in place, Vanjarawas locality of Himmat Nagar reported a fresh spurt of violence on Monday night after rioters belonging to one community attacked the houses of other community. Besides Himmat Nagar, two more districts — Khambhat and Dwarka — in the state had reported riots on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel convened a special meeting at his official residence in Gandhinagar on Tuesday night to take stock of the situation. The meeting would be attended by Home minister Harsh Sanghvi, chief secretary, home secretary and the DGP.
Vanjarawas residents alleged that rioters ransacked and looted several houses on Monday night, despite the police ordering the people to not venture out. Earlier, the police had appealed to the members of both communities to maintain peace and even organised ‘peace committee’ meetings. It is reported that despite all the measures, the rioters threw stones and petrol bombs at the houses of a particular community, forcing a dozen families to flee.
Sabarkantha police superintendent Vishal Vaghela confirmed the incident. “We received information regarding stone-throwing on Monday night and immediately reached the spot. We had to fire tear gas to bring the situation under control and disperse the mob. We have detained 10 people,” the police officer said.
An elderly couple who fled the locality said a mob of around 500 men surrounded their colony and started hurling stones and petrol bombs at their house. “We survived because the roof of our house was strong. We are scared to go back there and moving to a safer place,” they said, not wanting to reveal their names.