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Mumbai: A citizens' delegation that met the Additional Director General of Maharashtra Police on Monday to seek justice for the victims of Vishalgad violence, claimed that the violence ha instilled fear in the minority community.
The delegation also presented a memorandum to the senior officer highlighting the timeline of the incidents and demanded immediate suspension of district superintendent of police and departmental enquiry against the tehsildar and inspector of Shahuwadi police station.
On Monday, a delegation of citizens and civil society organisations met Sanjay Saxena, Add.DG (Law and Order) or Maharashtra Police to apprise him of the on-ground situation in Gajapur village, Vishalgad area of Kolhapur. The delegation highlighted issues with the investigation being conducted into the communal violence that had taken place in the village.
The meeting was organised by Citizens for Justice and Peace along with the delegation that comprised Dolphy Dsouza from the Bombay Catholic Sabha Dr. Frazer Mascarenhas, Norbert Mendonca and Shakir Tamboli, activist and member of the Indian National Congress.
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Through the memorandum, the delegation provided the senior officer with a timeline of the incidents that took place in Vishalgad as well as the Gajapur village on July 14, highlighting the role of certain anti-social element in the eruption of communal violence.
The memorandum, which also included the details of the FIR filed by the Kolhapur police, urged the senior official to ensure fairness into the investigation and to take action against those involved in the violence as well as those who conspired to create disharmony and public disorder in the area.
Specially referring to the targeted violence that took place in Gajapur village, wherein 40-50 houses of Muslim were burnt, their vehicles destroyed and a Mosque was demolished, the memorandum provided that “A violent mob broke into the mosque and set it on fire the mosque was heavily damaged. The entire area came under the attacks by the mob, particularly the
Muslim houses in the neighbourhood. Gas cylinders were exploded with the intention of destroying the houses and valuable items were looted by the mob."
While submitting the memorandum, the members also alleged of biased investigation taking place, resulting in kingpins of this violence not being arrested even after the passing of two weeks since the eruption of violence. In addition to this, the delegation also brought to the notice of Add. DG about an attempt to vitiate the atmosphere. Contents of posts circulating on social media, which were of provocative nature and instigated people to take law into their hands.
In addition, the memorandum provided that “As per FIR, it was Sambhaji Raje Chhatrapati, who came to the foothills of Vishalgad at 1:30 PM, and it was reportedly he who had incited the mob by giving a provocative speech and shouting slogans. It was the said mob that then had then ransacked and looted the shops at the foothill. Four-wheeler and two-wheeler motorcycle standing there were vandalized and thrown into the valley in the presence of an inactive police.”
The delegation sought accountability and justice over the said incident and alleged that the violence was the result of inexcusable lapses, even complicity by the police and revenue administration. The delegation also highlighted that the police have failed to use the necessary provisions in the tree FIRs required to hold the perpetrators accountable.
The delegation demanded immediate suspension of district police chief Mahendra Pandit and a departmental inquiry against Tehsildar and Police Inspector of Shahuwadi for failing to take relevant actions on that fateful day and protecting the victims against the mob.
The memorandum said “Keeping in mind the seriousness of the incident, we request the top echelons of the Maharashtra police to set up a SIT within the jurisdiction of top police officers to ensure intrepid, autonomous and independent investigation and take strict action against the offenders, even if they are persons in uniform. We also urge that the Maharashtra police opens channels of communication with local leaders of the affected and other communities, facilitates dialogue and finds a lasting, lawful durable solution to such deliberately fomented conflicts that disturb social harmony."
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