A violent confrontation in a Gandhinagar district village on Friday evening resulted in injuries to at least eight individuals from two families, with police registering cross-complaints of rioting and attempt to murder. The incident, rooted in local tensions over corruption allegations against the village sarpanch, unfolded in Ranchorpura village near Kalol.
The Spark: Corruption Petition Leads to Hostility
The chain of events began approximately a month prior to the clash when a local fast-food shop owner submitted a formal application to the village panchayat. In this document, he leveled allegations of corruption against the sitting sarpanch. According to the first First Information Report (FIR) filed at Santej police station, this action sowed significant hostility within the community.
The situation came to a head on Friday around 7 pm. The shop owner was seated near the outskirts of the village when he was confronted by four men from the opposing group. They allegedly subjected him to verbal abuse specifically for having filed the corruption petition. The confrontation quickly escalated when the men returned armed with sticks and sharp weapons.
Two Sides of the Violent Confrontation
The first complainant's account states he was attacked, sustaining injuries to his head and left arm. As his parents, brothers, and other relatives rushed to his aid, more members from the rival group allegedly joined the fray with weapons. A full-scale fight erupted, leaving several of his family members injured. He further claimed his motorcycle was damaged and a gold chain he was wearing went missing during the scuffle.
The second FIR, filed by a man from the other group, presents a different sequence. He stated that he and two companions were present in the area when the first complainant and his brother arrived with sticks. They began abusing them, which he linked to election rivalry stemming from the earlier panchayat tensions. He alleged he was struck on the left hand with a stick.
When his relatives arrived to intervene, more members from the rival family also gathered, leading to a larger confrontation. In this version, he alleged that the first complainant pulled out a knife and tried to stab his uncle. When he stepped in to prevent the attack, he was struck in the lower back by the knife. He also stated that while the injured were being transported to the hospital, two persons blocked their vehicle and damaged its windshield.
Police Action and Aftermath
The Santej police acted on Saturday by registering two cross-complaints against a total of 17 people involved from both sides. Eight injured persons reported wounds ranging from cuts to suspected fractures, requiring medical attention.
Police have invoked serious sections of the Indian Penal Code, including charges for rioting, unlawful assembly, and attempt to murder, based on the severity of the allegations from both parties. The incident highlights how local governance disputes and personal rivalries can boil over into public violence, disrupting community harmony.
The investigations are ongoing as authorities work to piece together the exact sequence of events from the conflicting narratives and evidence. The core issue of the corruption allegations against the sarpanch remains a focal point of the underlying tension.
