Akbarpura

Yusuf Sheikh

Shamshad Pathan

Ajit Rajian

ACB Ahmedabad

DySP Munshi

Vijay Rupani

Namaste Trump

Even as Gujarat mulls imposing Disturbed Areas Act in Khambhat and transfers district police officials, activists say police should have provided security to citizens when they first raised concern on Feb 11Tensions between two communities continued to simmer inlocality of Khambhat in Anand district on the third day after communal violence broke out in the coastal town on Sunday.About 35-40 houses, more than 10-12 shops and about 25 vehicles were set on fire by mobs after day-long clashes on Sunday., a 62-year-old man who saw his house burning down in front of him, died from shock on Sunday, the first day of the violence.MoS Home Pradeepsinh Jadeja on Tuesday said based on CCTV footage and police investigation, four FIRs have been filed and 47 persons arrested.On February 11, residents of Akbarpura locality sent a letter to the local Khambhat police station informing them that that they had heard whispers that an attack was being planned on their area by certain anti-social elements. This was, they said, in sequel to the earlier communal violence that rocked the area on January 24 this year.The letter addressed to the Khambhat Inspector, which was accessed by Mirror, said on January 24 stone pelting was carried out in Akbarpura by anti-social elements.The letter raised fear that between February 14 and 20, there could be another attack in the area. It said women and children were feeling insecure and many had left the locality. They requested the police to take the threat seriously and arrange security.Speaking about the letter, Advocatewho visited Anand on Monday, said, "Even though people of Akbarpura wrote a letter to the police warning them that violence was imminent, no action was taken."Mirror attempted to speak to the newly-appointed SP of Anand,, but he remained unavailable for comment.On January 24 too, riots had broken out, allegedly over the cutting of kite thread between persons of different communities. A rickshaw driver had lost his life in police firing during this incident. In December 2019, another such incident had taken place in Khambhat.Pathan, who is also convenor of the Alpsankhyak Adhikar Manch, an organisation working for minority welfare, in a memorandum on Tuesday, said that 250 Muslims had left their houses in Akbarpura and had set up a refugee camp in Salva area of Khambhat, fearing more violence.The memorandum states that there has been no relief and rehabilitation efforts made by the administration after violence had erupted a month ago in January. The Manch demanded compensation for loss, police security and probe into cases of arson and violence.Members of the Hindu community also gathered in huge numbers in the Tower area and marched to the Mamlatdar's office where they submitted a memorandum to the official.The state home department on Tuesday transferred Anand SP Makarand Chauhan, DySP (SDPO) Reema Munshi and Khambhat Police Inspector (PI) DP Chauhan with immediate effect.While Ahmedabad Traffic DCP Ajit Rajian took charge as SP, reporting to DGP Shivanand Jha on Tuesday itself, as he went to survey the carnage in Akbarpura, Bharti Pandya who was serving as DySP atwas transferred in place of Munshi. DS Gohil, the inspector of Tarapur police station replaced PI DP Chauhan in Khambhat.Sources said that the Anand SP as well as Khambhat PI were on leave when the violence erupted on Sunday. Senior officials said SP Makarand Chauhan's father had died and his mother was severely ill. All three officers - SP Chauhan,and PI Chauhan - have been kept "awaiting posting" till further orders.MoS Home Pradeepsinh Jadeja said after consulting CMand based on recommendations of MP Mitesh Patel and MLA Mahesh Raval, the area may be brought under the ambit of the Disturbed Areas Act.Property owned by a person belonging to one community cannot be sold to a buyer from another community if it falls inside an area notified under the Disturbed Areas Act.On Monday, it came to light that many personnel of the Anand district police force who were required to control the sudden violence in Akbarpura were unavailable as they were all the way in Ahmedabad, deployed in the security arrangements for the Namaste Trump event.After review of the situation by DGP Shivanand Jha, five companies of the State Reserve Police (SRP) and two companies of the Rapid Action Force (RAF) have been deployed to keep the peace.