FIR against cops for damaging vehicles during quota violence

Residents of three housing societies in the city have filed a complaint against 100-odd police personnel for allegedly damaging several vehicles parked outside their buildings on the night of August 25, when the Patel quota agitation had turned violent.
Inhabitants of Someshwar Society, Dream Plaza and Chandralok Tower, all situated near Ghevar circle in Shahibaug area here, have collectively filed the complaint with Shahibaug police station yesterday.
"Around 100 policemen stormed into their societies on the night of August 25 and damaged several cars, bikes and scooters kept in the parking areas without any provocation," the complaint said.
Shahibaug police inspector A M Desai said an FIR was registered in this connection, which was later transferred to the CID-Crime as per the high court directives.

"The Gujarat High Court had earlier given a directive that locals can lodge a complaint about damage to their property by police during violence, which erupted after the Patel rally on August 25. Thus, we have taken the complaint and forwarded it to the CID-Crime for further probe," Desai said.
The FIR has been lodged against 100 policemen, although nobody has been named in it, he added.

According to Desai, the FIR is not about police atrocities on residents, but about the damage to their property by police. "The high court had earlier ordered that those wanting to get compensation from government about the loss, should lodge a complaint with the police," said Desai.

After a mega rally of Patel community at GMDC ground in Ahmedabad on August 25, their 22-year-old leader Hardik Patel had been detained, which had set off massive violence that claimed 10 lives and let to imposition of curfew in many parts of the state.
Several citizens have filed petitions in the high court alleging that the policemen deployed to curb violence, targeted innocent civilians and damaged their property. Number of CCTV footage showing policemen damaging parked vehicles had also surfaced.