16 I ORLD NEWSW Passion Islam I July 2009
Gujarat Rights Panel says
biased cops beat Muslim men
The Gujarat State Human Rights evident that the police had planned Some traders and Hindu leaders,
Commission (SHRC) in India has well in advance on the demands of allegedly from the VHP, then pressured
found “biased and prejudiced” Hindu organizations to publicly beat up the police to beat the men in public.
policemen publicly caned Muslim the Muslim youths — this is extremely On January 10, a group of policemen
youths at the behest of some “Hindu regrettable and shameful. The police including Police Inspector (PI) M N
organizations” following a communal should not have violated human rights Trivedi and Police Sub-Inspector
clash in the town of Savarkundla, or incited communal passions to (PSI) BP Sonara, brutally thrashed
Saurashtra, in January this year. appease Hindu organizations, instead the accused on the street outside the
The police also attempted to book of containing communal passions... town’s Nariya police chowki.
the Muslim youths under the tough this requires further inquiry and The police also beat up several
Prevention of Anti-Social Activities therefore a report is sought.” other Muslims unrelated to the
(PASA) Act, and falsely implicated On January 9, four Muslim men incident, including a pregnant woman
a local journalist who tried to allegedly attacked one Govind in her home. Among the victims of
photograph them assaulting the youth Parmar, owner of a hardware store, the police beating was journalist Iqbal
at a crossing in the town, the SHRC and looted his shop in Savarkundla’s Gori, who was present at the spot
has said in its report. main bazaar. Late that night, all four along with other local journalists, and
In its report, the SHRC said: “It is men were arrested. taking pictures of the beating.
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