VADODARA: After Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Madhya Pradesh (MP), bulldozers are being used to pull down encroachments of properties owned by riot accused in Gujarat’s Anand district as well.
Based on directives issued by Anand district administration, local administration in coastal town Khambhat on Friday started razing encroachments in Sakarpura area – the locality from where stone pelting had started during the recent Ram Navami procession.
The riots during the Ram Navami procession had left six policemen injured and led to death of one resident.
Police on Wednesday had said that the violence on Ram Navami was a “pre-planned conspiracy” hatched by a “sleeper module”.
Police have already arrested 11 persons for their alleged involvement in the conspiracy.
“We have issued orders to remove all illegal encroachments. The encroachments are being removed from government land based on government records. These are those encroachments which had come up on government land and against which notices were already issued in the past,” said Anand district collector MY Daxini, adding, carts and stalls are also being removed to clear the government land.
While Friday’s drive started from Sakarpur area, the district administration said that it will continue for the next couple of days.
“We are assisting the district administration in the drive,” said Anand district superintendent of police Ajit Rajian, who is camping in Khambhat since Sunday’s violence which the communally-sensitive town witnessed after a gap of two and a half years.
