05-06-2006, 08:29 AM
I am going to post the whole articles since they might not be archived and might come in handy later.
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->We were forced to fire: Vadodara police
Sheela Bhatt in New Delhi | May 01, 2006 16:26 IST
Following the communal tension at Fatehpur, near the Champaner Gates in Vadodara, a large part of the old city has been placed under curfew. Two people have been killed and seven injured in the violence.
"We were forced to fire at the crowd," said Deepak Swaroop, Vadodara city police commissioner, while talking to rediff.com.
While giving chronology of the events, Swaroop said, "The demolition drive has been on for the last 15 days, as per the master plan of the city. There were orders to demolish any kind of encroachment, whether it's a temple or a mosque or any illegal construction in the house of a senior officer."
He added, "As per the order, some temples, too, have been demolished. Today it was the turn of the dargah of Rashidudin Rahimtullah, a Sufi saint." He said no-one knows exactly how old the dargah is but 'it has been here for many decades'.
Since the Muslim community had been agitated over the possibility of the demolitions, Swaroop had arranged meetings between Muslim leaders, the city mayor and the municipal commissioner. However, no consensus was reached and the court did not give a stay order on the demolitions.
"We were compelled to use force as a crowd of over 3000 people gheraoed the dargah. We first used tear gas, then we lathi-charged and only then did we fire, before the demolition work was completed," he said.
When asked why he did not delay the demolition, Swaroop said, "I used to pray at a Sai Baba temple right across from my house. Even that was demolished a few days back and I could do nothing about it."
Hemant Gandhi, a resident of Vadodara who witnessed the tussle around the dargah said, "We expect more tension because there are two other dargahs on the list to be demolished and one of them is in the middle of a road. We expect the tension to continue if the city corporation does not delay the demolition drive."
http://in.rediff.com/news/2006/may/01guj1.htm<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->One burnt alive in Vadodara
Vadodara, May 2
In a fresh bout of violence, one person was burnt alive when an irate mob set a car on fire in curfew-bound Arjun road area here late tonight.
Tension gripped the Nyaya Mandir area as a mob attacked a small place of worship just behind the district and sessions court here today when curfew was relaxed in Raopura and Panigate police station areas between 1230 hrs and 1430 hrs.
Nyaya Mandir, in the central business district, is where most of the government offices, including the collectorate and court, are located.
A violent mob armed with swords and other sharp-edged weapons, entered the court premises yesterday afternoon to give vent to their anger against the court refusing stay on the demolition of a 100-year-old dargah.
Another case of violence was also reported from Hathikhana in a non-curfew area. Meanwhile, another person injured in yesterdayâs police firing succumbed to his injuries at the hospital early today, taking the death toll to five. â UNI
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2006/20060503/main3.htm<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Stone pelting incidents in two areas in Vadodara
Vadodara, May. 2 (PTI): Sporadic incidents of stone-pelting were reported in Vadodara today as one person was killed in police firing taking the toll in the violence in the aftermath of demolition of a 200-year-old dargah to five, police said.
A group of people pelted stones at a roadside temple in Nyay Mandir area of the city this afternoon. The situation was later brought under control, police said. Police fired at a rioting mob around 2 am in Moti Vohrawaad area killing one person, while two others sustained injuries in clashes, they said.
Police said members of two communities also pelted stones at each other in Dayalbhau Kacha area of the city. "Situation is under control in all the other parts of the city," police said.
Additional companies of the State Reserve Police (SRP) and Rapid Action Force (RAF) have been deployed at the sensitive localities and patrolling has also been stepped up to prevent any untoward incident, police added.
The communal disturbance that broke out after the demolition of the religious structure has left 50 persons injured in and around the police station area of the city. Authorities have decided to relax curfew in Raopura and Panigate for two hours in the afternoon. Curfew has also been relaxed for two hours in the evening in Wadi and Karelibaugh, police added.
Authorities have not given any respite to the worst-hit city police station area and are closely monitoring the situation.
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/002...021860.htm<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Situation peaceful, curfew to be relaxed in Vadodara
Vadodara, May 2 (PTI): The situation in the city was peaceful today and curfew would be relaxed for two hours in four areas later in the day, police said.
The authorities have decided to relax curfew for two hours in the afternoon in Raopura and Panigate areas and for two hours in the evening at Wadi and Karelibaug, police added.
Security has been strengthened with the deployment of additional personnel of Rapid Action Force and State Reserve Police in sensitive localities of Vadodara where flag march was held this morning.
Demolition of a more than 200-year-old dargah here by the civic authorities yesterday sparked widespread violence, leading to clashes and police firing, that claimed four lives and left several others injured, forcing the authorities to impose curfew in the sensitive walled city area.
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/000...021001.htm<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Menacing turn in VadodaraÂ
OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
Ahmedabad, May 2: Ashfaq Arab, 21, died today hours after he had got engaged as Vadodara continued to boil.
Clashes that erupted after a 300-year-old dargah was demolished yesterday have claimed five lives in the city so far.
âThe anger against the administration is now turning communal. It is unfortunate but it is happening. It is beyond our control. We are unable to restrain our youths,â said Zuber Gopalani, a minority leader in Vadodara.
Ashfaq, a resident of the Wadi locality, was killed instantly when police opened fire at close range around 3 am, his neighbour Abdul Quayyam said. The youth had got engaged last evening.
But the police claim that he was injured in the clashes yesterday.
Union minister of state for home Sri Prakash Jaiswal, who arrived at Vadodara late last evening, has expressed his displeasure over the âcallousnessâ of the administration which pulled down the dargah on the pretext of clearing the way for traffic.
The minority community had wanted the dargah, which Gopalani said exists on the cityâs original master plan of 1921, to be declared a heritage structure.
Its demolition sparked a violent resistance, in which about 50 people have been injured. Jaiswal blamed the administration for the violence, saying the civic authorities should have tried to save the 300-year-old structure.
Social activist Teesta Setelvad said in a statement that according to a âcompromiseâ formula worked out between the community leaders and the administration on Sunday, only a part of the shrine was to have been âsacrificed for developmentâ. But the police demolished the whole structure next day and, by the afternoon, âhad paved a road over itâ.
Incidents of stone-pelting and arson were reported today from curfew-bound Fatehpura and Yakubhara where the Rapid Action Force and state reserve police have been patrolling the streets. Police had to use teargas to disperse crowds that tried to disrupt the funeral processions of those killed yesterday.
Although the police claimed the clashes are not communal, a mob of members of one community set ablaze a cotton godown owned by a member of the other community. Stone pelting was also reported at Nyaya Mandir.
Minority leaders have submitted a memorandum to the minister seeking the dargahâs restoration.
Asked if the dargah could be restored, Vadodara municipal commissioner Rohit Pathak said: âI cannot say anything about it. It is beyond my powers now.â
The anti-encroachment drive has been suspended.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1060503/asp/...ory_6176325.asp<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Seems like with every passing day, the age of the dargah increases by a century.
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->We were forced to fire: Vadodara police
Sheela Bhatt in New Delhi | May 01, 2006 16:26 IST
Following the communal tension at Fatehpur, near the Champaner Gates in Vadodara, a large part of the old city has been placed under curfew. Two people have been killed and seven injured in the violence.
"We were forced to fire at the crowd," said Deepak Swaroop, Vadodara city police commissioner, while talking to rediff.com.
While giving chronology of the events, Swaroop said, "The demolition drive has been on for the last 15 days, as per the master plan of the city. There were orders to demolish any kind of encroachment, whether it's a temple or a mosque or any illegal construction in the house of a senior officer."
He added, "As per the order, some temples, too, have been demolished. Today it was the turn of the dargah of Rashidudin Rahimtullah, a Sufi saint." He said no-one knows exactly how old the dargah is but 'it has been here for many decades'.
Since the Muslim community had been agitated over the possibility of the demolitions, Swaroop had arranged meetings between Muslim leaders, the city mayor and the municipal commissioner. However, no consensus was reached and the court did not give a stay order on the demolitions.
"We were compelled to use force as a crowd of over 3000 people gheraoed the dargah. We first used tear gas, then we lathi-charged and only then did we fire, before the demolition work was completed," he said.
When asked why he did not delay the demolition, Swaroop said, "I used to pray at a Sai Baba temple right across from my house. Even that was demolished a few days back and I could do nothing about it."
Hemant Gandhi, a resident of Vadodara who witnessed the tussle around the dargah said, "We expect more tension because there are two other dargahs on the list to be demolished and one of them is in the middle of a road. We expect the tension to continue if the city corporation does not delay the demolition drive."
http://in.rediff.com/news/2006/may/01guj1.htm<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->One burnt alive in Vadodara
Vadodara, May 2
In a fresh bout of violence, one person was burnt alive when an irate mob set a car on fire in curfew-bound Arjun road area here late tonight.
Tension gripped the Nyaya Mandir area as a mob attacked a small place of worship just behind the district and sessions court here today when curfew was relaxed in Raopura and Panigate police station areas between 1230 hrs and 1430 hrs.
Nyaya Mandir, in the central business district, is where most of the government offices, including the collectorate and court, are located.
A violent mob armed with swords and other sharp-edged weapons, entered the court premises yesterday afternoon to give vent to their anger against the court refusing stay on the demolition of a 100-year-old dargah.
Another case of violence was also reported from Hathikhana in a non-curfew area. Meanwhile, another person injured in yesterdayâs police firing succumbed to his injuries at the hospital early today, taking the death toll to five. â UNI
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2006/20060503/main3.htm<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Stone pelting incidents in two areas in Vadodara
Vadodara, May. 2 (PTI): Sporadic incidents of stone-pelting were reported in Vadodara today as one person was killed in police firing taking the toll in the violence in the aftermath of demolition of a 200-year-old dargah to five, police said.
A group of people pelted stones at a roadside temple in Nyay Mandir area of the city this afternoon. The situation was later brought under control, police said. Police fired at a rioting mob around 2 am in Moti Vohrawaad area killing one person, while two others sustained injuries in clashes, they said.
Police said members of two communities also pelted stones at each other in Dayalbhau Kacha area of the city. "Situation is under control in all the other parts of the city," police said.
Additional companies of the State Reserve Police (SRP) and Rapid Action Force (RAF) have been deployed at the sensitive localities and patrolling has also been stepped up to prevent any untoward incident, police added.
The communal disturbance that broke out after the demolition of the religious structure has left 50 persons injured in and around the police station area of the city. Authorities have decided to relax curfew in Raopura and Panigate for two hours in the afternoon. Curfew has also been relaxed for two hours in the evening in Wadi and Karelibaugh, police added.
Authorities have not given any respite to the worst-hit city police station area and are closely monitoring the situation.
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/002...021860.htm<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Situation peaceful, curfew to be relaxed in Vadodara
Vadodara, May 2 (PTI): The situation in the city was peaceful today and curfew would be relaxed for two hours in four areas later in the day, police said.
The authorities have decided to relax curfew for two hours in the afternoon in Raopura and Panigate areas and for two hours in the evening at Wadi and Karelibaug, police added.
Security has been strengthened with the deployment of additional personnel of Rapid Action Force and State Reserve Police in sensitive localities of Vadodara where flag march was held this morning.
Demolition of a more than 200-year-old dargah here by the civic authorities yesterday sparked widespread violence, leading to clashes and police firing, that claimed four lives and left several others injured, forcing the authorities to impose curfew in the sensitive walled city area.
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/000...021001.htm<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Menacing turn in VadodaraÂ
OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
Ahmedabad, May 2: Ashfaq Arab, 21, died today hours after he had got engaged as Vadodara continued to boil.
Clashes that erupted after a 300-year-old dargah was demolished yesterday have claimed five lives in the city so far.
âThe anger against the administration is now turning communal. It is unfortunate but it is happening. It is beyond our control. We are unable to restrain our youths,â said Zuber Gopalani, a minority leader in Vadodara.
Ashfaq, a resident of the Wadi locality, was killed instantly when police opened fire at close range around 3 am, his neighbour Abdul Quayyam said. The youth had got engaged last evening.
But the police claim that he was injured in the clashes yesterday.
Union minister of state for home Sri Prakash Jaiswal, who arrived at Vadodara late last evening, has expressed his displeasure over the âcallousnessâ of the administration which pulled down the dargah on the pretext of clearing the way for traffic.
The minority community had wanted the dargah, which Gopalani said exists on the cityâs original master plan of 1921, to be declared a heritage structure.
Its demolition sparked a violent resistance, in which about 50 people have been injured. Jaiswal blamed the administration for the violence, saying the civic authorities should have tried to save the 300-year-old structure.
Social activist Teesta Setelvad said in a statement that according to a âcompromiseâ formula worked out between the community leaders and the administration on Sunday, only a part of the shrine was to have been âsacrificed for developmentâ. But the police demolished the whole structure next day and, by the afternoon, âhad paved a road over itâ.
Incidents of stone-pelting and arson were reported today from curfew-bound Fatehpura and Yakubhara where the Rapid Action Force and state reserve police have been patrolling the streets. Police had to use teargas to disperse crowds that tried to disrupt the funeral processions of those killed yesterday.
Although the police claimed the clashes are not communal, a mob of members of one community set ablaze a cotton godown owned by a member of the other community. Stone pelting was also reported at Nyaya Mandir.
Minority leaders have submitted a memorandum to the minister seeking the dargahâs restoration.
Asked if the dargah could be restored, Vadodara municipal commissioner Rohit Pathak said: âI cannot say anything about it. It is beyond my powers now.â
The anti-encroachment drive has been suspended.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1060503/asp/...ory_6176325.asp<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Seems like with every passing day, the age of the dargah increases by a century.