Dear Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi, DGP Vikas Sahay and Ahmedabad Police Commissioner Shri G S Malik
I am a proud Gujarati but I write this open letter to you with much pain, frustration and angst. I have had a harrowing experience that reflects the big claims of “Police Sada Tamari Maate” (Police is Always for you) and the law and order situation in Gujarat.
Yesterday is a day I would really want to erase from my memory. On October 23, 2024, I left my office, Vibes of India, where I am a consulting Editor, from the Nehrunagar area in Ahmedabad and went to Drive In Road. I had to dispatch an important document and this is the place I always go to.
That was the last task in my to-do list for the day. I parked my car opposite Janki House, near Sales India on the road leading from Vastrapur to Himalaya Mall. It was about 6.05 pm when I parked my car. Of course, I locked it and re-checked that it was properly locked. I was back in less than 20 minutes as the courier company was hardly 300 meters away.
The area was buzzing and there must have been hundreds of people. As I reached my car, I was shocked to see tiny glass shreds outside my car. I was aghast as I tried to open my car. The window on the driver’s side of my car was smashed. My bag on the seat next to the driver’s was missing. Intuitively, I looked in the back seat. My laptop was also missing.
Ahmedabad Police Commissioner G S Malik Sir, please note that this is happening on one of the busiest roads in the city. After calling my sister and my office, I called up senior crime journalist Prashant Dayal of Navjivan News as I was completely blank. Having been a journalist for over three decades of my life, having worked at The Indian Express, The Asian Age, Deccan Herald, The Week and now at Vibes of India; I myself could not believe that Gujarat is this unsafe. I had no idea that worse was to follow.
Prashant asked me to call up the PCR van to the spot. The PCR van came and asked me to go to the Vastrapur police station, opposite SAL Hospital on the Drive In Road. I am sorry to tell you that the police paid attention to me and behaved extra politely only after I told them that I was a journalist. I have never ever done this all my journalistic life, Sir because I strongly believe that all citizens irrespective of their posts, designations and money should have equal rights. Our Constitution guarantees that but it is sad that for the police “designations” of those registering complaints matter.
The police were polite and details were noted down on a piece of paper. Then ASI Vijay went with this note to Police Inspector L L Chavda and came back with the instruction that the “writer will write down all I had to say”. Details were keyed in on the computer.
Meanwhile, I got a call from an unknown number and the person said he had found my laptop bag and a purse lying near a tea kitli opposite Bank of Baroda near Gurudwara on the S G Highway. The police asked us to go to that spot so I went there with my sister in my damaged car and ASI Vijay followed us on his bike. I thank the person, the citizen who called me. That is the true spirit of Gujarat. To always help.
Unfortunately but as expected, the thief had taken away the laptop, charger and cash of about Rs 10,000. We returned to the police station as instructed by the police to give the details. I was asked to sign a print out. Someone even said all the CCTV footage near the Drive In where the incident had occurred was being looked at.
I was traumatised but hopeful that the police had begun investigations. Read this carefully, Mr Harsh Sanghavi. You often talk about ease of filing complaints on portals, on how accessible police are and how people in Gujarat need not worry at all. Mr Sanghavi, all that is fake. Hollow claims.
I am a senior journalist and your police tried to fool me too. They had not filed an FIR. They had just taken a note of what had happened! When asked about the FIR, your ASI Vijay casually told me that they will do it together when the accused is nabbed. Minister Sanghavi, if this is how the police tries to mislead a journalist who is well-versed with the law, imagine what they must be doing to common citizens. Especially poor or illiterate people. We were told to go home.
Since your police were not being professional and had not registered my FIR, I again called up Prashant Dayal. Prashant who is well-versed with the law was aghast that a FIR had not been filed because as per the police manual in this case, a FIR is a must in such a case. Prashant Dayal had to make several calls, some to superiors. Later on Wednesday night, I got a call around 10.30 pm to reach Vastrapur police station the next day and meet sub-inspector R L Patel.
Today, we were called at the police station at around 11.30. Again, it was another 90 minutes. Finally, a FIR was lodged. Sir, I write this letter at 6.30 pm. It is over 24 hours and I have not even been given a copy of the FIR. Sir, is the Gujarat Model we boast of? Sir, is this the law and order situation we glorify? Sir, as a woman, as a professional, as a citizen, I am not only traumatised but ashamed that I had to go through this harrowing experience.
Sir, a police FIR is every citizen’s right. Did I deserve this trauma?
Your police always arrest and take action when the rich, powerful and politicians are involved but why do we have to suffer your unprofessional police and their incompetence? Why do they cheat citizens and not file FIRs? Just to give a rosy picture that there are less crimes recorded? Sir, this Gujarat Model that you are trying to promote is flawed, dangerous and very scary.
I expect each one of you to respond. I deserve it. And Gujarat definitely deserves a better law and order situation.
Yours truly,
Nandini Oza
Consulting Editor
Vibes of India
Gujarat
