Farmer killed in police firing in Gujarat

A farmer was killed when police opened fire on Thursday night to disperse a mob of villagers who attacked a police station in Gujarat's Dahod district after the custodial death of a tribal, police said on Friday.

A massive crowd demanded immediate action against policemen responsible for death of a local villager Kanesh Gamara, who was picked up on Wednesday from his house in Jesawada village of Dahod for questioning. The police team was looking for his brother, whom they believed to be involved in a theft.

Though Gamara was released later, he died soon after with his relatives alleging that his body bore torture marks.

Villagers reached the Jesawada police station with Gamara's body to file a complaint of death due to torture in police custody but police insisted on recording an FIR of accidental death.

Angry over this, the villagers began pelting stones at the police station and set a couple of police vans stationed there on fire. Eight policemen sustained injuries.

Police first lobbed teargas shells but when this did not work, they opened fire, killing Ramsu Mohaniya, 45, and injuring three others.

A posse of police force has been stationed in the village and a complaint has been filed against an unknown crowd of 200 people for rioting.

--IANS

desai/vd