13 days on, no arrests yet in Pune’s Askarwadi Iftar assault case; fact-finding panel questions ‘cop inaction’

Pune: Over 13 days after a mob of around 150 people assaulted at least 14 men from Kondhwa who had gathered for Iftar near Askarwadi lake close to Bopdev Ghat on March 13, police are yet to arrest a single assailant, prompting sharp criticism from a fact-finding committee and community leaders.The eight-member fact-finding committee under People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), led by former Justice G D Parekh, questioned the police's "inaction" though the victims identified the key attackers and submitted their photographs and video clips. Milind Champanerkar, one of the members of PUCL and the committee, questioned how the police "failed to gather intelligence of such an attack".Victim-complainant Feroz Sayyad (36) said the attack was "clearly organized", noting that gathering 150-odd people with sticks and rods "could not have been immediate". He said, "We were not playing loud music, throwing waste or disturbing anyone. A group of us had spread a carpet. We were having food when we were attacked without provocation. One victim required 14 stitches after being hit with rods. They beat up another group of people as well. The CCTV camera at the spot was found covered with a black hoodie during police panchnama the following day. "Superintendent of police (Pune rural) Sandeep Gill said investigation was on, but he did not explain the absence of arrests. Deputy SP Rajendrasinh Gaur denied any delay in police action, stating that 10–15 suspects have been identified. "However, they fled their homes and switched off their phones. Arrests are likely within a day or two," he said.Gaur maintained that the attack was not preplanned and said no intelligence was available. He added that Iftars "are typically held near mosques".Jambuvant Manohar, president of the Samajwadi Party's city unit, said party workers have been protesting in front of the SP's office since Monday demanding arrest of the accused. "We feel this is an incident of state-sponsored violence," he said.Advocate Taj Siddiqui has petitioned the State Minority Commission seeking a Special Investigation Team, departmental inquiry against police officers allegedly delaying the probe and addition of stronger criminal sections to the FIR. Commission member Wasim Burhan confirmed receipt of the petition and said the superintendent of police would be asked to investigate, take action and submit a report.