Ahmedabad Range Inspector General of Police AK Jadeja | Photo Credit: ANI

Key Highlights The Gujarat government has included Khambhat town in the Disturbed Area Act Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has asserted that the authorities would not tolerate violence at any cost Gujarat Minister of State for Home Pradeepsinh Jadeja has assured stern action against the perpetrators of the violence

Gandhinagar: Incidents of vandalism and arson were reported from Khambhat town in Gujarat’s Anand district on Tuesday. Reports suggest that several vehicles and shops were vandalised and then set on fire during a protest in Khambhat.

While revealing information about the incident, Ahmedabad Range Inspector General of Police AK Jadeja said that some outfits were staging a sit-in protest against Sunday's violence in Khambhat. When demonstrators began to disperse, some miscreants set properties on fire, added Jadeja.

Most of the schools, colleges and markets in the area stayed shut yesterday.

It is to be noted that the Gujarat government has included Khambhat town in the Disturbed Area Act following violence on Sunday.

The government has also sacked Anand Superintendent of Police (SP) Makrand Chauhan and Khambhat Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Reema Munshi and replaced them with Ahmedabad (traffic) DCP Ajit and ACB Gujarat DSP Bharti Pandya, respectively.

Meanwhile, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani asserted that the authorities would not tolerate violence at any cost.

"Minister of State for Home Pradeepsinh Jadeja has taken stock of the situation in Khambhat. The Director-General of Police too has reached the town. The state government is committed to quelling such incidents through strict action," Rupani said.

He added that the Home Department, including police, has been directed to ensure that no such incidents are repeated.

In the meantime, Gujarat Minister of State for Home Pradeepsinh Jadeja has assured stern action against the perpetrators of the violence.

"We will check the CCTV footage to take strict action against the perpetrators of violence. Forty-seven rioters have been arrested and four complaints lodged," said Jadeja.

The minister further alleged that the Congress was trying to disturb the peace through its appeasement politics.

What happened in Khambhat?

On Sunday afternoon, rioters had torched 25-30 houses and shops in Akbarpura area of coastal town Khambhat. The incident led to clashes.

Around a dozen persons reportedly received injuries following stone-pelting between two groups. More than two dozen vehicles were damaged in the incident.

Violence continued on Monday as well with new incidents of stone-pelting reported.

Khambhat has witnessed communal clashes in the past too. The latest incident was reported in January 2020 and that too from Akbarpur area. As per some locals, people, who were out on bail for the January clashes, were behind the violence on Sunday.