Three witnesses who are residents of
Ghasiawas in Radhanpur, Patan, deposed before the Tribunal. In the FIRs
they filed on the violence in their village, the first accused named is
the BJP MLA from the Santalpur division of Radhanpur. Accused no. 2 is the
chief of the BJP unit in Radhanpur taluka. Accused no. 3 and others
are members of the Bajrang Dal, RSS and VHP.
Nanabhai Pyarmohammed G Sheikh, one of
the witnesses, testified that the accused arrived in tractors to spread
terror in Radhanpur on March 1. They started looting and burning shops
using petrol and diesel which they had brought in cans. From Lalbaug to
Patni Gate, they targeted only those shops which belonged to the minority
community. After this, they set fire to a Muslim religious place known as
Gol Otla.
Ghulam Jelani Ghulam Rasul Shaikh, the
nephew of the witness and other boys from the locality were standing at
Patni Gate watching the frenzied mob on a rampage. Without any
provocation, accused no. 1, Shankarbhai Lakhdhirbhai Chaudhri, shot the
witness’ nephew and another boy Ghulam Nabi Kalubhai Shaikh point blank.
As the bullets hit both in the chest, they collapsed on the spot. The
other people from the locality who were also standing there tried taking
the injured boys in a jeep to the Referal Hospital. The driver of the jeep
was Yakubbhai Nabibhai Chauhan.
As the jeep left Patni Gate and passed
Gol Otla, the mob standing there tried to stop the vehicle. The driver
went faster. When they reached Lohanawadi, they saw an electric pole
blocking the road. The driver was forced to stop the jeep. The mob that
was standing around started throwing stones at the driver who was injured;
frightened, he ran to the police station to save his life. Meanwhile, the
wounded Ghulam Nabi Kalubhai Shaikh, who stumbled out of the stationary
vehicle, was attacked on the head with scythes so the police took him to
hospital. Ghulam Jelani Ghulam Rasul Shaikh, the wounded nephew of the
witness was the only one left in the jeep. The jeep was torched by the mob
and he was burnt alive.
Although the families of the victims
were desperate to reach the police, they were unable to do so because of
the mob. Subsequently, they called the police station several times but no
one paid any attention to what they said. As curfew was later clamped on
the town, there was further delay in lodging the complaint. Another
complaint was sent by registered post to the local police station. The
main accused who have been named are: Shankarbhai Lakdhirbhai Chaudhri
(MLA Santalpur, Radhanpur), Pravinbhai Thakkar Mahalakshmi, (Radhanpur,
chief of the Radhanpur taluka BJP), Prakash Keshavlal Thakkar
(known as Prakash Dakshini), Doctor Rawal (runs a hospital in Lalbaug),
Kanubhai Deri, Vinod Kumar Goklani, Satishbhai Thakkar (sells dish
antennae), Thakore Ajmalbhai Abhabhai (Chalwada, taluka Radhanpur),
Bharatkumar Kalyanji Thakkar (Ambika Electronics, Lalbaug, Radhanpur),
Ratilal Vyas (vice-chief, Santalpur taluka panchayat, Varahi). Also
included in the list of accused are other residents of Radhanpur town, and
taluka, a mob of more than 700 VHP, Bajrang Dal and RSS workers.
The Ghasiawas police post, Radhanpur taluka has been indicted for
non-action.
The second witness, Ibrahim Miyabhai
Shaikh, a driver from Patan, who was on the spot when the two boys were
shot, also filed a separate complaint.