Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani condemns communal clash at Khambhat, assures strict action

After Khambhat town in Gujarat's Anand district witnessed communal clashes on Sunday, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Tuesday stated that violence will not be tolerated at any cost and warned of strict action against those responsible.

In the communal tension that had broken out on Sunday, rioters had set ablaze 25 to 30 houses and shops in Akbarpura area of Khambhat in Anand district. During the clashes and stone-pelting between the two groups, more than a dozen people were reported injured. The rioters also caused damage to public property and also set more than 2 dozen vehicles ablaze.

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Talking about the situation, CM Rupani informed about Minister of State for Home Pradeepsinh Jadeja taking stock of the situation in Khambhat, and the Director-General of Police looking into the matter. The Gujarat Chief Minister assured the commitment of the state government to quell such incidents by taking strict action. The CM also stated that relevant instructions have been issued to the Home Department, including police, to ensure such violent incidents do not repeat in the future. 

The state police has so far arrested 40 people for the Sunday violence. According to police, no serious injury was reported though some persons were hospitalised after the clash. Later, they were discharged from the hospital.

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Khambhat holds the history of communal clashes in the state

The violent clashes continued on Monday as well, after incidents of stone-pelting and attack on police personnel came to light. The Gujarat police on Monday took another 35 people into custody.  According to police officials, more than 20 houses and as many vehicles were torched by mobs since Sunday in separate incidents in the town.

Khambhat town is known for having a history of communal clashes, with a similar incident being reported in January this year, also from the Akbarpur area. The locals of the town also went on to claim that the people who were arrested post the January clash have been out of jail and are responsible for the Sunday attack.

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