A Hindu businessman managing a general grocery shop was attacked under the Ramji temple in Ochchan village, Wagra taluka, Bharuch district of Gujarat. The businessman and his wife were both reported injured in the incident that occurred. On the other hand, the people who came to safeguard the businessman from the Muslim mob, including the sarpanch, were also attacked and beaten up by the mob. The accused allegedly intended to kill the victim. Currently, the police have filed an FIR against the group of 11 people, including two juveniles, and are taking required action in the case.
According to the information gathered, the event occurred in Ochchan village, which is part of the Wagra police station in the Bharuch district. A few stores have been built near the Ramji temple in the village, and Kishan Kumat, a Rajasthan native, owns a food store to support his family. On April 21, at about 10:30 pm, two sons of the accused, Abdul Ahmad Patel, visited Kishan’s shop to buy something. The duo attacked Kishan for being asked to take their goods and leave over their abusive language.
According to the complaint submitted by Kishan, while Abdul’s boys had been loitering and using abusive language near the shop, Kishan cautioned them that the women customers were standing and that they should avoid speaking abusively. Hearing this, both of them became furious and began to abuse the businessman and his wife.
Hearing the brawl, a group of 15 to 20 persons, including Javid, Hujef, Mustaq, Riyaz, and Abdul, approached. The throng surrounded Kishan and began thrashing him. According to the FIR, the rest of the mob threw stones at a business near the temple. Meanwhile, there was also an attempt to burn down Kishan’s shop.
Stabbed… set on fire… I barged into a neighbour’s house: Victim Kishan
OpIndia called the victim, Kishan Kumawat, to find out more about the situation. Kishan told OpIndia, “Both of Abdul Patel’s children have been violently opening jars in my shop and eating them at will for quite some time now. If I ask for money, they suggest we move out of the village. Yesterday, they both came to my shop and spent a while there. But they began using abusive language and I didn’t like that.”
Kishan went on to say, “While I asked them to leave, a group of 15-20 people including Abdul Ahmad, Riyaz, Feroza, Sabina, Taslima, Saeed, Mushtaq, Hujef, and Javeed showed up. The others surrounded me and began beating me. When my wife intervened, she too was beaten. The folks around me stepped in and rescued me. Those people who came to attack me were shouting that I should be killed. Amidst all of this, my neighbour offered me a place to escape. But by the time the local sarpanch arrived, he was also attacked. I came out of the neighbour’s house and saw an effort was being made to set fire to my shop.”
He stated, “Meanwhile, after informing the police, a police convoy rushed to the scene and dispersed the crowd.” The cops likewise put out the fire in the corner of my shop. I would have been slaughtered if my neighbours hadn’t sheltered me in the house and the people, including the local sarpanch, hadn’t stepped in.”
I was in the middle of saving Kishan but Muslims beat me too – Sarpanch Dharmendrasinh Rana
It is worth mentioning that in this incident, apart from the Hindu businessman, Dharmendra Singh Rana, the Sarpanch of the village was also attacked. OpIndia also contacted him and confirmed the incident. “There was a wedding in the village and I had gone to attend it. Meanwhile, someone came and told me that Kishan, who manages a grocery shop near Ramji temple, is being attacked by a Muslim mob, save him or they will kill him. Hearing this, I and some others went there to calm the quarrel. As soon as I got in between, those people attacked me, too. Tore my clothes. I have obtained back and neck injuries. There were a few women also in the attacking mob, and all of them were so fierce that they were talking about killing Kishan.”
During the conversation, he also acknowledged that there was an attempt to burn down the victim’s shop. He stated, “The entire region where the incident occurred belongs to Hindus, and our Ramji temple is there. The attackers were heard shouting ‘Stab him’. The cops arrived, investigated the situation, and took appropriate action.”
It is worth mentioning that in this whole incident, the Wagra Police of Bharuch district have arrested Abdul Ahmad Patel and his 2 children, Riyaz Mustaq Patel, Firoza Mustaq Patel, Sabina Mustaq Patel, Taslima Mustaq Patel, Taslima Abdul Patel, Saeed Ahmad Patel, Mustaq Ahmad Patel, Hujaif Zakir Patel and Javid Adam Patel and has registered an FIR under Sections 143, 147, 149, 323, 337, 436, 504, and 506 (2) of the IPC against 11 people. A copy of the FIR is available with OpIndia.
