The protesters, who have been booked, were accused of threatening and thrashing a resident, damaging his luxury car, flowerpots, and lamps belonging to another resident. (Representational/File)
A rioting case was registered on Thursday night against 11 men a day after a high-rise in the city witnessed chaos following the demolition of a fabricated structure of a Jain temple. Violence followed after the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) demolished the fabricated structure on the ground floor of the High Tech Avenue building at Vesu, officials said.
Among those booked is the president of the apartment complex. “We have registered an offense against Swatil Shah, the president of the High Tech Avenue Apartment, on the basis of a complaint lodged by Jignesh Madhvani. We have launched a hunt for the accused who are presently hiding, but we will arrest them soon," Vesu police Inspector MC Vala said.
The protesters, who have been booked, were accused of threatening and thrashing a resident, damaging his luxury car, flowerpots, and lamps belonging to another resident.
Jignesh Madhvani, a resident, on Thursday night, lodged a complaint with Vesu police station against Swatil Shah, Akshit Jain, Jigar Kothari, Darshan, Bittu, Samveg, and five others. All of them are residents of High Tech Avenue.
In the complaint, Madhvani alleged after the SMC officials removed the fabricated structure, the accused came to his house late Wednesday night.
The youth allegedly banged on the door of his flat, used abusive language, and threatened him, accusing him of leading the demolition move. After he did not open the main door of his flat, Madhvani further alleged, the accused broke the tiles, flower pots, and lamps outside his house. When the other flat holders turned up, they intervened and told them to leave.
Shortly after, when the complainant went to the parking area, he was shocked to see his luxury car damaged, he stated in the complaint.
Upon checking the CCTV footage, the accused were found to be behind the damage. Madhvani called up the Police Control Room and sought police protection.
As cops reached the spot, they tried dispersing the men who sat on dharna. Police had to then resort to lathi-charge.
“In the apartment complex, Jain and non-Jains occupy almost an equal number of flats. President Swatil Shah and a few others had made fabricated structures of the Jain temple and installed them in the common open space area a few days ago," Madhvani told The Indian Express. "The non-Jains objected to it and complained to Swatil Shah who did not give an appropriate response.
This prompted the residents to approach the Surat Police Commissioner and the civic body. The municipal authorities on Wednesday night removed the structure. I was not in the picture but Swatil Shah and other Jain flat holders believed it was me who was the reason behind the removal of the fabricated structure. I tried to convince them but failed. This might be the reason for them to attack my house and my vehicle," he added.
The case has been filed under IPC sections 323 (Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (Intentional insult with an intent to provoke breach of peace), 506(2) (threat be to cause death or grievous hurt), 143 (rioting),427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees). On Thursday, cops were deployed at the apartment to avoid any untoward incident.
from The Indian Express https://ift.tt/NYGz5A4
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