Tension in Gujarat areas after yatra

[Neil Ozman]

Hindu nationalists like myself are with you Gujarati's we respect you and
see how brave you are in defending our Motherland. It is about time Gujarat
became a Muslim free state. Death to Islam!

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow.asp?art_ID=15898599

Tension in Gujarat areas after yatra
TIMES NEWS NETWORK [ SUNDAY, JULY 14, 2002 1:56:07 AM ]

KHEDA/PETLAD: While peace prevailed in the entire state, it was central
Gujarat that witnessed communal flare-ups on the day of the Jagannath rath
yatra. Both Kheda and Petlad towns witnessed pitched battles between two
communities on Friday night and the situation was tense even on Saturday as
curfew continued in Kheda.In Petlad, things went out of control after the
rath yatra was attacked by a mob in the Nariapada area. Following the
incident, riots broke out in the Sherpura area when the rath yatra reached
there. The police resorted to firing and lobbed teargas shells, injuring two
persons.The police in Petlad said a ''janata curfew'' call given by the
minority community leaders was not adhered to. ''There were several people
who came out on the streets to see what was happening. Some irate youngsters
participating in the procession might have used derogatory slogans or
gestures that led to stone pelting,'' said Anand district superintendent of
police B D Vaghela.They police have identified several persons involved in
the rioting. A couple of them were involved in rioting earlier also. ''The
court had granted bail to them on the condition that they would not enter
the town. However, they were seen amongst the mobs,'' said a Petlad town
police officer.Meanwhile, an uneasy calm prevailed in the towns on Saturday
morning. Several shops were open amidst elaborate police deployment.
Security forces that were called to the town for the rath yatra were
retained in wake of the tension.Close on the heels of the rioting in Petlad,
trouble broke out in Kheda town after residents of Kagdipeeth and Vav Falia
resorted to stone pelting. A policeman was injured. The police had to resort
to firing to disperse the mobs.