MCC Gujarat demands FIR, suspension of cops for brutal assault on Muslim minor in Rajkot police station

By A Representative 

The Minority Coordination Committee (MCC), Gujarat, has written to the Director General of Police, Gandhinagar, demanding immediate registration of an FIR and suspension of police personnel accused of brutally assaulting a Muslim minor, Sikandar Kalawadiya, at the Gandhigram Police Station in Rajkot.

According to the complaint, the incident took place on September 1, 2025, when the boy was taken to the D-staff room of the police station, where he was allegedly beaten with a wooden-handled belt on his palms and the soles of his feet. The written statement submitted by the victim’s grandmother, Najuben, states that Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Radhika Bharai was present at the time of the assault and had instructed a police officer, Pradeep Dangar, to beat the boy, saying, “Our ACP Bharai has ordered that he must be beaten.” The officers are also accused of pulling the boy’s hair violently while other policemen recorded videos of the act.

The complaint further alleges that the boy was denied medical treatment after the assault and was instead threatened not to speak about the incident. The case came to light after the video showing policemen pulling the child’s hair went viral on social media.

Najuben’s written complaint names ACP Radhika Bharai (West Gandhigram Zone), Police Inspector Sejal Meghani, PSI M.V. Jadeja, constable Shailesh Kishorbhai Chauhan, and other unidentified staff members. Despite the seriousness of the charges and evidence of human rights violations, no FIR has reportedly been filed so far.

The MCC’s letter accuses the police of repeatedly violating human rights within police stations and disobeying Supreme Court guidelines, including the D.K. Basu directives on custodial conduct. It demands that the accused officers be immediately suspended and charged under relevant sections of the law. The committee has also sought preservation of CCTV footage from the police station, transfer of the accused officers outside the district to prevent tampering with evidence, and a medical examination of the minor by a panel of specialist doctors from the civil hospital.

The MCC has further urged the authorities to provide compensation to the victim under the Victim Compensation Scheme and ensure justice without discrimination.

The letter, signed by Mujahid Nafees, Convener of the Minority Coordination Committee, was submitted on October 6, 2025, along with a copy of the grandmother’s complaint. The committee has appealed to the DGP to take prompt action and uphold justice in the matter.