Bajrang Dal leader killed in Patan

AHMEDABAD: Sami town of Patan district was gripped with tension on Tuesday as a Bajrang Dal leader was stabbed in the busy bazaar area in the afternoon by two persons from another community. The assailants were arrested within hours of the incident even as the Bajrang Dal declared a bandh on Wednesday in protest.
The victim is the taluka unit president of the Bajrang Dal, Prahlad Thakore, who succumbed to stab wounds soon after the assault around 11.30 am.Patan superintendent of police Amarsinh Vasava told TNN, "Prahlad Thakore was standing in the bazaar when two persons stabbed him on account of an old rivalry."
However, what was the immediate provocation, is not known. According to Vasava, "last May there was an incident of rioting where the police had registered a complaint against both the groups, the assailants as well as Thakore. It looks like the former was settling a score." He asserted this had nothing to do with the 2002 riots.
However, he did not say at what stage of investigation these cases of 2004 were, and what might have provoked the stabbing.
DGP AK Bhargava said that "things were under control and denied that there were any repercussions." Tight security has been ensured for Wednesday''s bandh call.
Patan, which falls in the border range, does not have a DIG, after Satish Verma was transferred in March.
In-charge IGP Rajan Priyadarshi drove down from Rajkot to supervise the law and order situation.
"The victim and the perpetrators reportedly had a showdown on Monday, over the case," said a senior police officer.
The police has booked murder offences against five persons from the minority community of which two have been arrested. "Thakore''s funeral procession is also over and it passed off peacefully," Priyadarshi told TNN.