33 rioters who attacked police acquitted

Vadodara: A sessions court in the city acquitted 33 rioters who had attacked cops at Ganpatpura village of Padra taluka in September 2017after the witnesses turned hostile and on lack of proper evidence.
The 33 persons were booked for rioting, deterring public servant from duty, causing hurt to public servant and damaging public property.

On September 26, 2017, responding to call from locals about a group clash, a patrolling team reached the village and made three persons sit in a police van. A mob gheraoed them after this and the cops had to summon additional force. After another team of police personnel reached the village, the mob turned riotous and attacked the police with wooden sticks, pipes and stones. Four police constables were grievously injured in the attack and a PCR van was vandalized.

Padra police booked the rioters and charge-sheeted them. During the trial of the case, it could be proven that the cops were injured and had to be treated. However, with independent witnesses turning hostile, the accused could not be identified for which, the court acquitted all of them. In its observation, the court said that cops failed to investigate properly or collect evidence as the complaint had mentioned a mob of 70 people but only 33 persons were booked.