Probe into killing of 3 Dalit youth in 2012 hasn't progressed as cops were sent with Modi to Mumbai, Meerut

By A Representative
Why could the officials investigating into the death of three Dalit youths on September 22, 2012 in police firing at Thangadh in Surendranagar district in Gujarat fail to go ahead with their job though three and half years have passed following the gruesome incident? If a recent report submitted to Gujarat’s home department by inspector general of police, CID (crime) Anil Pratham is any indication, one of the major reasons behind it has been “lack of staff”, which got busy in Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi’s variegated security concerns!
The cops, who were part of the investigating team probing the Thangadh firing, had to go to “Mumbai, Meerut and Himmatnagar” to take care of Modi's security early this month, the report shockingly reveals, adding, “There was not even a writer available to jot down all the details in the investigation already done, so that it could be submitted on January 28, 2014, as required…” This happened “despite the fact that there was a need to find out why crisis management could not be carried.”

The report was obtained by Navsarjan Trust on the basis on a right to information (RTI) plea. It said, “testimonies of the steps taken or needed to be taken remain to be obtained”, adding, “Only copies of different orders could be obtained, and details of the vehicles damaged during the incident, which led to firing, alone could be obtained.” All this happened also because one of the officials investigating in the incident, Dr Girish Pandya, deputy superintendent of police, Viramgam division, was transferred to Idar to head reserve police unit at Monderi.”
At the same time, the report appears to give a partial clean chit to police firing by saying referring not once but several times over on how the crowd (consisting of Dalits), numbering around 2,000, resorted to stone throwing, use of abusive language, and burning of private and official vehicles, causing a damage to the tune of Rs 20,000. “This is clear from various testimonies”, Pratham points out, adding, “The Railway Police and cops of the reserved police force have testified this in their statements.”
Despite all this, Pratham admits, “A thorough job in investigating the incident on the basis of the available evidence is yet to be done.” He adds, “While there appears to be clarity on different issues at the first sight, there are still lots of gaps which need to be filled up before reaching a final conclusion. This is the reason why the investigation into the incident is still continuing. The investigations should be done on the basis of different government orders from time to time on when police firing should be resorted to.”
On September 22, 2012, three Dalit youths were killed after police fired at Thangadh town in Surendranagar district, following what officials termed as “clashes” of the Dalits with the Bharwad community members. The trouble between Dalits and the Bharwads started at the Tarnetar fair, which is an annual festival. Officials claimed, the police was forced to open fire after lathicharge and teargas shells failed.
Instead of taking action against the cops who opened fire, Dalit activists allege, an FIR was lodged against eight Dalits, who were jailed. Only after the CID (crime) took charge of the case that cases against the Dalits were dropped and charges of attempt to murder slapped on them were dropped. Later, the CID (crime) arrested a police sub-inspector and two other policemen on murder charges in connection with the police firing at Thangadh.
These were sub-inspector Kuldipsinh P Jadeja, constable Yogesh Gadhvi and assistant sub-inspector Nathubha Andubha. The CID probe also revealed that the accused policemen had used AK-47 to fire on Dalits. The police affidavit, submitted by Superintendent of Police R S Bhagora, had said that the weapons used included "revolver, (.303) rifle, carbine gun and AK-47". The affidavit, dated November 6, 2013, opposed the anticipatory bail petition of Jadeja and noted that the motive behind the police firing was "hatred" and "prejudice" against Dalits.

Comments

Gram sabha as reformer: Mandla’s quiet challenge to the liquor economy

By Raj Kumar Sinha* This year, the Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj is organising a two-day PESA Mahotsav in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, on 23–24 December 2025. The event marks the passage of the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA), enacted by Parliament on 24 December 1996 to establish self-governance in Fifth Schedule areas. Scheduled Areas are those notified by the President of India under Article 244(1) read with the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution, which provides for a distinct framework of governance recognising the autonomy of tribal regions. At present, Fifth Schedule areas exist in ten states: Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan and Telangana. The PESA Act, 1996 empowers Gram Sabhas—the village assemblies—as the foundation of self-rule in these areas. Among the many powers devolved to them is the authority to take decisions on local matters, including the regulation...

MG-NREGA: A global model still waiting to be fully implemented

By Bharat Dogra When the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MG-NREGA) was introduced in India nearly two decades ago, it drew worldwide attention. The reason was evident. At a time when states across much of the world were retreating from responsibility for livelihoods and welfare, the world’s second most populous country—with nearly two-thirds of its people living in rural or semi-rural areas—committed itself to guaranteeing 100 days of employment a year to its rural population.

A comrade in culture and controversy: Yao Wenyuan’s revolutionary legacy

By Harsh Thakor* This year marks two important anniversaries in Chinese revolutionary history—the 20th death anniversary of Yao Wenyuan, and the 50th anniversary of his seminal essay "On the Social Basis of the Lin Biao Anti-Party Clique". These milestones invite reflection on the man whose pen ignited the first sparks of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution and whose sharp ideological interventions left an indelible imprint on the political and cultural landscape of socialist China.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

Concerns raised over move to rename MGNREGA, critics call it politically motivated

By A Representative Concerns have been raised over the Union government’s reported move to rename the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), with critics describing it as a politically motivated step rather than an administrative reform. They argue that the proposed change undermines the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi and seeks to appropriate credit for a programme whose relevance has been repeatedly demonstrated, particularly during times of crisis.

Rollback of right to work? VB–GRAM G Bill 'dilutes' statutory employment guarantee

By A Representative The Right to Food Campaign has strongly condemned the passage of the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB–GRAM G) Bill, 2025, describing it as a major rollback of workers’ rights and a fundamental dilution of the statutory Right to Work guaranteed under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). In a statement, the Campaign termed the repeal of MGNREGA a “dark day for workers’ rights” and accused the government of converting a legally enforceable, demand-based employment guarantee into a centralised, discretionary welfare scheme.

Making rigid distinctions between Indian and foreign 'historically untenable'

By A Representative Oral historian, filmmaker and cultural conservationist Sohail Hashmi has said that everyday practices related to attire, food and architecture in India reflect long histories of interaction and adaptation rather than rigid or exclusionary ideas of identity. He was speaking at a webinar organised by the Indian History Forum (IHF).

India’s Halal economy 'faces an uncertain future' under the new food Bill

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* The proposed Food Safety and Standards (Amendment) Bill, 2025 marks a decisive shift in India’s food regulation landscape by seeking to place Halal certification exclusively under government control while criminalising all private Halal certification bodies. Although the Bill claims to promote “transparency” and “standardisation,” its structure and implications raise serious concerns about religious freedom, economic marginalisation, and the systematic dismantling of a long-established, Muslim-led Halal ecosystem in India.

From jobless to ‘job-loss’ growth: Experts critique gig economy and fintech risks

By A Representative Leading economists and social activists gathered in the capital on Friday to launch the third edition of the State of Finance in India Report 2024-25 , issuing a stark warning that the rapid digitalization of the Indian economy is eroding welfare systems and entrenching "digital dystopia."

Search This Blog