Rajkot: Farmer rights leader files complaint against cops

Rajkot: Farmer rights leader and chief of Kisan Congress , Pal Ambaliya , on Sunday lodged a complaint against assistant commissioner of police (ACP), police inspector (PI) and unidentified cops of Rajkot crime branch for the alleged custodial torture.

In the complaint lodged with Pradyumannagar police station, Ambaliya named ACP JH Sarvaiya, PI H M Gadhvi and the cops of Rajkot crime branch, alleging that they had thrashed him with sticks on Wednesday night.

“I was forced to hug a tree. Two constables pulled both of my hands from the other side of the tree and ACP Sarvaiya and PI Gadhvi whipped me with the sticks,” alleged Ambaliya in his complaint.

“Sarvaiya and Gadhvi warned me against organizing any programme in Rajkot and threatened to bump me off in an encounter if I visited the city again,” he said in the complaint.

Next day, on Thursday morning, Ambaliya was produced before the mamlatdar of Rajkot west zone, where he had alleged custodial torture. The mamlatdar ordered to admit Ambaliya to Rajkot Civil Hospital from where he was shifted to a private hospital. Ambaliya lodged the complaint after being discharged on Sunday.

When contacted, city police commissioner Manoj Agarwal, said, “Two days back, an inquiry was given to DCP zone 2 to investigate in whole incident. We will soon be able to find out the truth. Action will be taken against anyone found guilty.”

On Wednesday, Ambaliya had organized demonstration at the collectorate to protest against the wholesale traders’ decision to slash prices of onions and cotton produce purchased from farmers.

Pradyumannagar police had detained Ambaliya and his four associates - Pravin Patodia, Devu Gadhvi, Girdhar Vaghela and Chetan Gadhia — and booked all of them under IPC sections 269 and 270 pertaining to negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life. Later, all five were released.

Later in the evening, Ambaliya and others were booked for unlawful assembly and again summoned to Pradyumannagar police station to take their finger prints. Then Ambaliya was allegedly taken to the crime branch office where he was beaten up in the night.