By sabrangindia
Background
The alleged incident occurred on September 8, 2024, near Variavi Bazar Police Station in Gujrat’s Surat district where it was reported that a group of 5-6 Muslim minor boys allegedly pelted stones at a Ganesh Chaturthi pandal near Variavi Bazar Police Station. The incident sparked a communal clash between two groups in the city. The incident resulted in property damage, injuries, and arrests. The Surat Police intervened, using tear gas and lathis to restore order having accused of biased and intentional lethal actions against the members of Muslim Community. After the incident, six juveniles were detained for stone-pelting, and around 28 others were arrested for rioting. The incident has sparked widespread condemnation and calls for peace and harmony.
Findings of report:
A fact-finding report conducted by Minority Coordination Committee, Gujrat over the Surat Stones Pelting incident, has raised serious questions over the handling of incident by district administration and police action in Sayyedpura area. The report highlights discrepancies in the official narrative about the incident, including why the children involved were taken to Sayyedpura Police Station instead of the nearby Variavi Bazar Police Station. Additionally, the driver of the auto-rickshaw, belongs to Hindu community transporting the children was not arrested, sparking concerns of selective targeting. The report also notes that the detained individuals were found at home, not at the scene of the alleged incident, and that the 500–700-meter distance between the incident location and their residences raises doubts about their involvement in stones pelting incident.
The report also highlights that the Ganesh Pandal where the stones were allegedly thrown is located on the main road with no construction nearby. This raises doubts about where the stones came from, suggesting the story may be fabricated.
This story was originally published in sabrangindia.in. Read the full story here.