342 arrested so far in violence over Sabarkantha rape: Police

As many as 42 cases have been registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and 342 people have been arrested across the state in lieu of the attacks on non-Gujarati people, Gujarat Director General of Police (DGP) said on Sunday.

Non-Gujaratis, especially those hailing from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar were attacked recently after arrest of a man from Bihar for allegedly raping a 14-month-old girl in Sabarkantha district last week.

"Till now, we have registered 42 cases in which 342 people have been arrested all over. 17 companies and one platoon in Gujarat of SRPF have been deployed in district which was needed more. The camp will be held in areas which are sensitive. Places, where non-Gujaratis are residing and working, are being given security," said Shivanand Jha, DGP, Gujarat.

According to reports, many workers belonging to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar and other states were also forced to board home-bound trains.

Elaborating about the total arrests and police complaints, the DGP said, "In total, six districts have been affected in this violence. Mehsana and Sabarkantha districts have been affected the most. In Mehsana, 15 cases have been registered in which 89 people have been arrested. Similarly, in Sabarkantha, 11 cases were lodged and 95 people were arrested."

"Besides Mehsana and Sabarkantha, seven cases have been registered and 73 arrests have been made in Ahmedabad, three cases and 27 arrests in Gandhinagar, three cases and 36 cases in Ahmedabad rural, two cases and 20 arrests in Aravali and a case and two arrests in Surendranagar have been done," Jha added.

He further said that six people have been arrested by the cyber cell for spreading hate speech on social media. "Spreading rumours is also a crime. Gujarat is a peace-loving state. It has respect of its own. So, we will not let anyone play with the respect of Gujarat," Jha further said.