Neighbourhood Dispute in Ahmedabad Escalates into Violent Confrontation
A violent clash erupted between two families in Ahmedabad on Thursday evening, stemming from allegations that a 20-year-old youth had harassed a minor girl on two separate occasions over the past two months. The incident, which occurred on November 13 around 7 pm, led to a significant police response and the registration of three separate First Information Reports (FIRs).
The Sequence of Events Leading to the Clash
According to police reports filed on Friday, the conflict has a two-month history. The girl's father stated in his complaint that the youth, who is their neighbour, had first harassed his daughter two months ago. At that time, the matter was settled internally with the intervention of both families and community leaders, avoiding police involvement.
However, the situation escalated dramatically on Thursday evening when the youth allegedly harassed the minor girl again. This prompted the girl's father and other family members to visit the youth's residence to confront him. When the youth and his family came out and were reprimanded, they reportedly responded with obscenities.
The confrontation turned physical when the girl's father asked them to speak decently. The accused youth and his family allegedly began assaulting the complainant's family. The situation worsened further when the youth's father allegedly pulled out a revolver and pointed it at the girl's father, while other family members began pelting stones.
Police Intervention and Legal Action
The commotion attracted a large crowd, leading to police being informed about the incident. Law enforcement officials arrived at the scene and took both parties to the police station for questioning.
In the aftermath, three FIRs have been registered in connection with the case. The first FIR was filed by the minor girl's family against the youth and his relatives. The second was a cross-complaint filed by the youth's mother against the girl's family. The third FIR specifically targets the youth under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
The youth, along with his parents, two uncles, and two aunts, face charges under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for voluntarily causing hurt, endangering human life, unlawful assembly, rioting, criminal intimidation, and obscenity. They have also been booked under the Arms Act and Gujarat Police Act.
Similarly, the girl's father, uncle, and three other relatives have been booked under identical BNS sections, along with charges under the Arms Act and Gujarat Police Act, based on the cross-complaint.
Conflicting Narratives and Police Statement
The FIR filed by the youth's mother presents a different version of events. She claimed that her son returned home on November 13 and informed her that the girl's uncle had threatened to shoot him. Later that evening, around 10 pm, a ruckus erupted outside their home.
She alleged that the minor's family members were standing outside their residence with weapons, pelting stones at them, and demanding that her son come out while threatening to harm him. She also claimed that members of the group threatened them with revolvers.
A senior police officer commented on the situation, stating, "The daughter of one of the families was harassed by the adult son of the other family and so the former went to confront them regarding the same. This resulted in stone pelting and clashes, but no injury was reported."
No arrests have been made yet as the investigation into all three FIRs continues. The police are examining the evidence and statements from both sides to determine the appropriate legal course of action.
