Ahmedabad: 58-year-old beaten for selling milk in Gota, shop vandalized

AHMEDABAD: Amidst massive protests by the maldharis (pastoralists) against the stray cattle bill, a milk shop owner in the Gota area of the city was attacked for defying the call to stop supply of milk on Wednesday. Arvind Patel, 58, a resident of Shukan Residency, had kept his shop open. Around 9.15am, about 15 men entered his shop and threatened him with dire consequences if he did not pull down the shutters, according to an FIR filed by him with Sola police.
“The men were carrying sticks. They began threatening me and asked me why I was selling milk despite the protests by maldharis. I told them that I would close the shop in some time. But they began abusing me and started taking out bottles of water and cold drinks. When I objected, they beat me and vandalized the shop. They also tore milk packets,” said Patel. He alleged that they threatened to kill him if they ever found his shop open. Patel filed a complaint of causing hurt, uttering abusive words, criminal intimidation, causing damage, unlawful assembly and rioting against a group of 15 men.
Meanwhile, a milk shop owner Ravindra Patel filed a complaint alleging that a group of 20 people entered his shop on Sunday night and assaulted him. They damaged milk pouches while threatening him to close the shop. Sabarmati police booked one Bablu Desai and others for causing hurt.