Gujarat Police have initiated stern action on the stone pelting incident on Shri Ram’s Shobha Yatra that took place in Kheralu, Mehsana district on Sunday (21st January). The Kheralu Police has filed an FIR in this case and booked 32 individuals from the Muslim community. Earlier, 15 accused were arrested in a combing operation following the stone pelting incident in the night.
The complainant has been filed by PSI J.K. Gadvi of Kheralu Town police station. According to media reports, the complaint states that the accused hatched a planned conspiracy and pelted stones at the Shobha Yatra of Lord Shri Ram in Kheralu. For this, stones were collected on the rooftops of the houses of Belim Vas, which is a Muslim locality. Additionally, carrying swords and other weapons in hand, they attacked the devotees involved in the Shobha Yatra.
According to the complaint, the accused, armed with weapons, ran after those involved in the Shobha Yatra and damaged the tractors involved in the yatra. They also hit some devotees involved in the yatra with swords, one of whom sustained serious injuries. While PSI Gadvi was also injured due to stone pelting.
A case has been registered against 32 persons belonging to the Muslim community under sections 143, 147, 148, 149, 307, 332, 323, 337, 506(2), 120B, 427 of the IPC and sections 135 of the Gujarat Police Act. The police are conducting further investigation in the case.
The police conducted a combing operation on Sunday night (January 21, 2024) and arrested 15 accused. The search for the rest of the accused is currently underway.
Informing about the action, Kheralu Police PSI SG Shripal told OpIndia that a case has been registered against 32 persons in this regard at night and 15 of them have been arrested while the search for the rest is currently underway. They too will be nabbed soon. According to him, as soon as the yatra reached the spot, stones were pelted on the yatra. It is also suspected to be a premeditated conspiracy which is the subject of investigation.
The incident took place on Sunday (January 21, 2024) a procession of Lord Ram was taken out in Kheralu of Mehsana ahead of the grand consecration ceremony in Ayodhya at Shri Ram’s birthplace. A large number of Ram devotees including women and children had joined the Shobha yatra. Meanwhile, the Kheralu police also joined the Yatra to ensure that no untoward incident took place.
But when the Shobha Yatra reached the mosque in the Hatadiya area, stone pelting was reported with people throwing stones from their rooftops in the Muslim neighbourhood.
Hindu organisations involved in the yatra told OPIndia that stones pelting on the Yatra was started when it reached near the mosque in a Muslim-dominated area. Due to this, there was a stampede and some people were also injured.
