In the wake of mounting pressure from civil society groups and other forums, three days after the clashes between police and locals in Chharanagar— the biggest ghetto of Chhara community in India, a denotified tribe—of Ahmedabad, the probe into the incident has been handed over to special operation group (SOG), Crime Branch.
While the police claim that the incident took place after locals assaulted a PSI who had gone to the area to conduct a raid, members of the community alleged that the police unleashed violence after one of the youths had an altercation with the cops.
The cops dragged people out of their homes and arrested them past midnight on Thursday. Vehicles were also damaged in the melee.
Kalpana Gadgekar, a theatre personality working with the community, told THE WEEK that they were not happy with the investigation. “It is being conducted by the same police and they are bound to support their own men,” she said.
Gadgekar said their agitation will go on until their demand for setting up a SIT is met.
Meanwhile, on Monday, lawyers boycotted the proceedings in the metropolitan courts and clients were sent away. Among the 29 arrested are two lawyers, a theatre artiste and a cameraman working with a vernacular daily.
The photographers' association also submitted a memorandum to the state government.
Even as the probe has been handed over to the Crime Branch, a 13-member group from civil society is conducting a parallel inquiry.