Junagadh SP to hold addl charge of Gir-Somnath

Rajkot: Junagadh district superintendent of police (SP) Ravi Shetty has been directed to hold additional charge of adjoining Gir-Somnath district too.

Gir-Somnath SP Rahul Tripathi who had tested positive with Covid-19 had gone under quarantine and in his absence, assistant superintendent of police, Om Prakash Jat, was holding charge of the post.

On Wednesday night, ASP Jat also launched a massive crackdown on 11 illegal mining sites operating on the outskirts of Ghatvad and Jamvada villages in the Gir-Somnath region. Cops seized 27 cutters, seven generators and five tractors in the operation.

However, the sudden announcement of giving charge to Shetty has raised many an eyebrow and the department was abuzz with the news of Jat’s sudden removal.

However, officials pooh-pooh all speculations and claimed that there was nothing mysterious in the announcement.

“The ASP did an excellent job of cracking down on the illegal mining sites. We received an order from the DGP office that Junagadh SP should hold the charge of Gir-Somnath as the current SP is quarantined because of Covid-19. The process was initiated 4-5 days ago,” said Maninder Singh Pawar, inspector general of police.

Jat conducted the raids after multiple complaints regarding the illegal activities by the villagers had fallen in deaf ears.