Drunk BJP leader opens fire at shop owner

RAJKOT: A city BJP leader in an allegedly inebriated condition opened fire from his licensed revolver at a paan shop owner who tried to pacify him after an altercation broke out between them outside a public toilet at Sorathiyawadi Circle in the Bhaktinagar area.
The incident happened late on Wednesday night when Karan Sorathiya, secretary of the Rajkot city BJP unit, went to relieve himself at the toilet. Sorthiya saw that the toilet caretaker was closing it after the paan shop owner Vanraj Chavda came out after answering nature’s call. Sorathiya got furious and started thrashing the caretaker as the latter refused to open the facility. Chavda intervened and tried to calm him down but the BJP leader got even more infuriated and engaged in a heated altercation with him.

Sorathiya then pulled out his revolver and fired two rounds in the air. Chavda’s uncle Devraj Sonara rushed there and they both tried to snatch the revolver. In the meantime, Sorathiya, who was under the influence of alcohol, collapsed, police said. Chavda informed the police who reached the spot
Sorathiya was booked for attempt to murder, the Prohibition Act, and Arms Act.
“We have also impounded his revolver and car. We have scanned the CCTVs of the nearby areas to gather evidence,” said Mayurdhwajsinh Sarviya, inspector of Bhaktinagar police station.
Police said Sortahiya received a gun license a couple of months back. His parents are also active members of the BJP.
Meanwhile, Sorathiya also lodged a complaint of rioting against Chavda, his uncle Sonara, Dhaval Ahir and some unknown people, alleging that they started beating him when he was talking with the caretaker of the toilet. As they threatened to kill him, he fired one round in self-defence, Sorathiya’s complaint stated.
Sorathiya was arrested along with Chavda and others he named in the complaint.