UDAIPUR/JAIPUR: A peace talk was held in Piladar village under Zawar Mines police station area of
Udaipur district
on Tuesday, a day after the Patel community members clashed with the police to express their discontentment over the investigation of a murder of a village youth
Ramesh Patel.
The district administration and police authorities, including collector Anandi, SP Kailash Chandra Vishnoi assured the villagers of a fair and impartial probe in the case while the community too has given a written assurance to refrain from any unlawful activities or aggression. Thirty eight people have been arrested in connection with a violent protest that broke out in Peeladar village of Udaipur, parliamentary affairs minister Shanti Dhariwal informed the House on Tuesday.
Dhariwal was responding to allegations made by leader of Opposition Gulab Chand Kataria about laxity on the part of police in dealing with the murder case. Kataria said a proactive administration could have averted the violence.
Two police cases have been registered, one each by the police department and Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation for damaging public property and assault. Although no untoward incident was reported in the area, however on the police advice on precautionary measures to ensure peace, divisional commissioner Vikas Sitaram Bhale issued order of internet service suspension for 24 hours effective in some of the rural pockets largely populated by Patel community.
"Some 190 people have been detained under preventive provisions of law. We have spoken to the senior members and leaders of the community who have expressed regret over the violence and assured not to repeat it. Senior officers along with police contingent are camping at the site to prevent any mishap,” Udaipur SP Kailash Chandra Vishnoi told TOI.
On the allegations of lathi charge on women protesters, Udaipur IG Binita Thakur said the villagers had planned to give memorandum to the authorities on Monday but suddenly they changed their mind and called for road blockade. "When the police tried to stop them, the women came in front while the men pelted stones from the back which triggered the clash," she told the media.
Thakur said the police was prudent and swift in solving the murder case and it had been only two days of the investigation which is still going on. "If the villagers were dissatisfied, they should have waited for completion of the investigation. Our officers had assured them that if anyone else were involved in Ramesh Patel murder case, they too would be arrested on basis of evidence. Just to appease any community, we cannot arrest innocent ones" the IG claimed.
The violence on Monday had left as much as 15 cops and two villagers injured. Two Roadways buses and three police vehicles including a jeep, bike and mini bus was torched during the rampage which prevailed for three hours. As a precautionary measure, internet services have been suspended till Wednesday morning in rural areas including Mavli, Vallabh Nagar, Dabok, Ghasa, Kailashpuri, Sarada, Jawar Mines, Salumber, Jhallara and Semari pockets largely populated by the Patel community.
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