Vadodara: Fear grips minority community

The minority community in Vadodara has alleged police 'inaction' in protecting their lives and property and claimed that they were in fact the target of police action in the violence in the last three days following the demolition of a 200-year-old dargah on May 1.

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The old city area, which has been under curfew for the fourth day on Thursday, saw violent clashes between police and members of a particular community after the dargah was demolished. The flare up later turned into communal violence.

Mehmmudmiya Sheikh, a 58-year-old hand cart puller recuperating at the SSG Hospital here said police stopped him when he was passing through the Bhoyvada area of the city on May 1 at around 12 noon and asked his name.

"They fired at my legs when I told them my name," he alleged.

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Julfikar Ahmed, a 24-year-old youth who also sustained bullet wounds and was admitted to the SSG hospital alleged that police fired at him from their jeep while he was passing through Hatikhana area of the city on Monday wearing a skull cap.

Apart from allegations of police targeting them, minority community members allege that police did not respond to their calls when a mob attacked a few societies on the Ajwa road on Tuesday night.

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Siraj, brother of Rafiq Vohra who was burnt alive by a mob on May 2 night, claimed that his brother was torched as the police did not respond to their several calls. A mob of 5,000 people cornered him and set his car on fire on as nobody came to help them, he added.

Asma Sheikh, a neighbour of Siraj Vohra, rues that they have been at the receiving end of stone pelting, police lobbing tear gas shells and firing in the Vadodara violence.

"What can we to do to deal with such a situation," she inquired.

Mustafa Khan, a injured person's relative, alleged that whatever was happening in Vadodara was a repeat of the 2002 violence.

The police, however, maintain that those who have received bullet injuries were part of the mob who indulged in rioting. City Police Commissioner Deepak Swarap said police opened fire to bring the situation under control.

The streets of old city of Baroda are strewn with stones and littered with garbage, reflecting the current tensions. Apart from the six police station areas the life of people of Vadodara is normal. Business establishments and office are functioning normally in other parts of the city.