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 The minority communities in Gujarat have been under police attack. Despite drawing the attention of the state government towards their high-handed behaviour many times, no proper action has been taken against the police officers for their anti-minority activities. As a result the police do whatever they want. The Human Rights Commission had to interfere on many occasions when human rights were violated. The Bapunagar incident is the latest to happen. Bapunagar police station in Ahmedabad falls under the jurisdiction of Ahmedabad police commissioner. Bapunagar Police Station inspector AR Desai and constables Jujar Singh, Shailendra Singh and Mainsh Patel have been allegedly misusing their authority. Amit alias Montu Babubhai Dabhi (25), belonging to the minority Christian community, resides at 14, Fellowship Society, Behind Vikram Mill, Bapunagar, Ahemedabad. The police constables picked him up on 28 April 2005 for questioning. They took him to Ajit Mill police chowky, beat him up badly and kept him in lock-up. When Amit failed to return, his father tried to search for him. He went to Bapunagar Police Station to give a complaint but the police refused to register it. When a number of social workers intervened, at 1.30 am on 29 April 2005, the police registered a complaint stating that Amit was missing. The police asked for six passport size and one big size photographs of Amit. The police assured Amit’s father that the news would be telecast. But nothing happened. On 30 April 2005, Amit’s father Babubhai Dabhi gave another complaint in writing. The same day at 5.30 pm, Babubhai was called to the police station. There he was told that his son was in police custody. There was no case registered against Amit. Yet he was taken to police station, beaten up and kept in custody, thereby violating the law under IPC 330. In the wee hours on 3 May 2005, Amit was dropped near his house in a Maruti car belonging to Inspector AR. Desai (G-J-1, HB – 2027). He remained unconscious all the night. In the morning he was taken to an orthopaedic, spine and trauma surgeon Dr PM Vekaria. On his advice, Amit was taken to Government Hospital (VS Hospital) in an ambulance. He underwent a number of tests, including MRI. Amit’s right leg has been paralysed due to the police torture. In his complaint to Police Commissioner of Ahmedabad City, Amit said he was intercepted by three unknown people and told to accompany them while he was on his way to his friend’s house on 28 April 2005. When he asked who they were, they identified themselves as police constables. They took him to Ajit Mill Police Chowki. “There I was asked if I kept any weapons. When I answered in the negative, they beat me up and then took me to Inspector RR Desai. He asked me the same question and then punched and kicked me,” Amit said. He charged the police with torturing him. A medico–legal case had been registered in VS Hospital. The Bapunagar police station was informed about the medico-legal case. PSI KB Zala of Bapunagar police station had taken Amit’s statement on 3 May 2005. Police station officer Dilip Singh registered a case against the police involved in this case as per FIR No 185 / 2005, IPC Section 323,501,342 and 114, instead of IPC Section 307, 330 and other sections. Surprisingly police constable Manish Patel’s name was registered. All this shows there is no law and order in Gujarat and the minority community is under constant threat. Chief Minister Narendra Modi and the police department officials do not take any action. Under pressure from the state government, the police delay registering cases from the minority community. Only when there is pressure, cases are registered.
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