"No accused shall be spared; law will take its own course": Gujarat Home Minister on stone pelting incident in Surat

Sep 09, 2024

Surat (Gujarat) [India], September 9 : Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi on Monday assured that no accused will be spared in the stone-pelting incident on Ganesh Pandal in the Sayedpura area of Surat.
Sanghavi said that law will take its own course, but simultaneously it is the responsibility of society to show the right path to its children and youth.
"Surat Police had ensured that no accused shall be spared. At the same time, it also ensured that no innocent should be arrested. For this, Surat Police made use of technology--CCTV, videography, and drone visuals helped police nab these anti-social elements. Stone pelters are not just legal culprits, they are the biggest culprits in society," he said.
"The law will take its own course, but at the same time, it is the responsibility of society to show the right path to its children and youth... Gujarat Police works with the motto 'jo kaayde mein rahenge wahi faayde mein rahenge'," the state home minister added.
Surat Police Commissioner Anupam Singh Gehlot said that there were a total of 6 people in the auto, including the driver who pelted stones on Ganesh Pandal.
"Yesterday, on September 8, young boys pelted stones on a pandal from a moving autorickshaw. They tried to flee after pelleting stones. Police personnel chased and nabbed them immediately. There were a total of 6 people in the auto, including the driver. All of them were young boys. They were brought to Sayedpura Chowki, and an FIR was lodged," Singh said.
He further said that people from minority communities of that area gathered in large numbers at the incident site and indulged into a heated argument with the police officials.
"At the same time, people came there in large numbers, and since the area lies in the middle of a Muslim-dominated area, people from the Muslim community also reached there, and stone pelting ensued following a heated argument. Police at the spot used force and resorted to tear gas shelling as well as baton charges to disperse them. Police also nabbed the stone pelters...A total of 28 accused were nabbed... 3 cases were registered, and FIR was also registered," he added.
Police Commissioner Singh further informed that cases were also registered against 6 juveniles and sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) were invoked.
"A case was also registered against 6 juveniles who pelted stones at the pandal. Sections of BNS were invoked...After detaining the 28 accused, process is underway to arrest others too. No accused will be spared. We have formed a few teams," he said.