Vadodara: Four persons were arrested on Monday in connection with rioting that broke out in Sanjeli village of Dahod district over elopement of an interfaith couple after Saturday midnight.
The Hindu boy who was a 17-year-old minor and a 19-year-old Muslim girl had eloped on June 29 from Sanjeli, around 135km from Vadodara. The girl’s family accused the boy of abducting her and registered an offence. The boy’s family too submitted a complaint against the girl at the police station.
The girl’s family subsequently met the Dahod superintendent of police and the Panchmahal range inspector general of police to seek action against the boy and his family. They even held protests on July 22 over issue. In wake of the situation, the investigations in the case were handed over to the circle police inspector of the area.
Tempers ran high on Saturday night and a mob that included women rushing to the residence of the boy. It is alleged that the mob was carrying sharp and blunt weapons. An SUV that was parked near the house was charred by the mob and a two-wheeler also caught fire.
An offence was registered at the Sanjeli police station by Prakash Bhoi against a mob of around 200 persons. Of these four persons – Rahila Bandi, Rashida Bandi, Razzak BAndi and Irshad Bandi – were arrested by the police on Monday.
Sanjeli police sub-inspector SN Bariya said that the police had made several attempts to locate the missing couple, but were not successful. “We kept vigil on their friend circle and even spoke to them to get information, but have not been successful so far,” he said. The police believe that the couple was fearing action from their families and communities and was not turning up at the village.
Sanjeli had witnessed rioting even in 2002 after the Sabarmati Express carnage at Godhra.
