A division bench of the Gujarat High Court issued notice Thursday to state government including police personnel who were involved in the public flogging of Muslim men in Undhela village of Kheda district following the survivors of the Islamophobic crime approached the court.
On 3 October in the Undhela village, a dispute broke out between the members of the local Hindu and Muslim communities as the Muslims objected to a garba event being held near a mosque. The next day, videos began making the rounds on social media showing police officers, later identified as being from the crime branch, tying some Muslim men to a poll and beating them with sticks, in full public view and amid cheers from the onlooking Hindu mob. Inspector A.V. Parmar and sub-inspector D.B. Kumavat were identified from the clip.
The incident sparked massive outrage online, prompting the police to order an inquiry into the incident and the officers involved.
Following the incident, four individuals – Jahirmiya Malek (62), Maksudabanu Malek (45), Sahadmiya Malek (23), Sakilmiya Malek (24) and Shahidraja Malek (25) – filed a petition with the Gujarat high court against 15 police personnel – the inspector general (IG), the superintendent of police (SP), Kheda; 10 constables from the Matar police station; and three officers from the local crime branch (LCB).
Apart from Parmar and Kumavat, the police personnel who have been issued notice are LCB; H.M. Rabari, Sub Inspector, Matar police station; Kanaksinh Laxmansinh Dabhi, Head Constable, LCB; Mahesh Rabari, Head Constable, LCB; Jayesh Rabari, Head Constable, LCB; Ruturajsinh Gopalsinh Parmar, Head Constable, LCB; Ashwin, Head Constable, LCB; Vanrajsinh Bhagubhai, Head Constable, LCB; Arjunsinh, Head Constable, LCB; Vishnu Harjibhai Rabari, Constable, Matar police station; Rajubhai Rameshbhai Dabhi, Constable, LCB; Mahipatsinh Bhagwatsinh Chauhan, Constable, Matar police station; and the offices of SP Kheda and the IG (Ahmedabad range) whose jurisdiction includes Kheda district.
The bench of Chief Justice Aravind Kumar and Justice A.J. Shastri thus issued notice to 15 police personnel, returnable by December 12, Indian Express reported.
Senior Advocate I H Syed, representing the petitioners, said: “The policemen themselves made the videos and put them on social media. In a police van, they (the flogging victims) were brought from the police station, each person was taken out, beaten and was then put in the police vehicle… in full public view, this is what happened. This is a complete violation (of Supreme Court guidelines for police while making detentions and arrests).”
