Ahmedabad, Jul 3 (PTI) Police arrested five persons in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad on Wednesday, a day after workers of the BJP and Congress hurled stones at each other outside the opposition party’s state headquarters here on Tuesday during a protest against “anti-Hindu” remarks made by Rahul Gandhi in the Lok Sabha.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Shivam Verma said two FIRs were registered at the Ellisbridge police station regarding the clash and five persons were arrested on Wednesday.
Five policemen, including an Assistant Commissioner Police (ACP), were injured in the stone-pelting by both the sides outside Rajiv Gandhi Bhavan, Congress’s state headquarters near Ashram Road in Paldi area of the city.
While one FIR was registered against nearly 450 workers of both – Congress and BJP, another was registered against Congress workers on a complaint given by the youth wing of the BJP’s Ahmedabad unit, Verma said.
Both the FIRs were registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for offences, including unlawful assembly, rioting, endangering life or personal safety of others and causing hurt to an on-duty public servant.
“Five police personnel, including an ACP, were injured in yesterday’s incident. We have registered two FIRs – one based on a complaint given by a policeman, and another by city BJP’s youth wing. Five persons, who might be associated with any of the party, were already arrested by us. CCTV videos revealed that they were involved in the violence,” said Verma, DCP (Zone 1) of the city police.
The DCP said police did not take into consideration party affiliation while making arrests.
In the first FIR, registered based on a complaint given by injured police constable Karmraj Bhagvatsinh, Congress’ Leader of Opposition in the BJP-ruled Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), Shehzad Khan Pathan and two women leaders of the opposition party – Pragati Ahir and Hetaben Parikh – were named in the FIR.
Along with them, police have named a mob comprising around 250 Congress workers and 200 BJP workers as accused in the FIR.
As per the FIR, it was Congress workers who first charged towards BJP workers after being incited by some Congress leaders. When police tried to stop them, the mob started throwing stones and thick wooden sticks towards the other side.
After the attack, the BJP workers also engaged in stone pelting, said the FIR, adding that the complainant was rushed to hospital after a stone hit his head. Apart from him, two other police constables, a Home Guard and an ACP received injuries during the clash.
Around 2.30 pm on Tuesday, the BJP’s Ahmedabad unit announced that the party’s youth wing will hold a demonstration outside Congress office in the evening against Rahul Gandhi’s remarks in Hindus.
Upon learning about the protest, the city police had deployed its personnel to thwart any violence. After the clash, the police detained several persons from both sides and brought the situation under control. PTI PJT PD NP
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