Three days after the brutal murder of a girl by her jilted lover in Surat, an avalanche of protest broke out on Tuesday with the Gujarat Congress demanding the resignation of Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi, an MLA from the city.
Simultaneously, several diamond industrialists and Patidar community leaders have handed over a memorandum to Surat Police Commissioner Ajay Tomar demanding justice for the girl’s family and improved policing.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel spoke to Grishma’s family over a video call and assured them full justice in the case. The assailant was subsequently taken to the Kamrej Police Station on Tuesday.
Twenty-one-year-old college student Grishma Nandlal Vekariya was brutally murdered by 18-year-old Fenil Pankaj Goyani, who slit her throat in full public view in the presence of her parents on February 12 in Posadara village near Kamrej town on the outskirts of Surat.
Read more : Strong Protests Over Surat Girl’s Brutal Murder, Congress Demands Gujarat’s MoS Home Sanghavi’s Resignation
Fenil, a fashion designer at a private firm, allegedly committed the crime after she reportedly spurned his proposal for a relationship. Her brother Dhruv and uncle Subhashbhai Vekariya were also assaulted by Goyani as they were trying to save her. Later, Fenil slashed his wrist in an alleged attempt to end his life. He was rushed to the hospital. He hails from Gariyadhar.
AICC In-charge of Gujarat affairs Raghu Sharma, State Congress president Jagdish Thakor, former State chief Amit Chavda, chief spokesperson Manish Doshi, MLA Jignesh Mevani and several others were detained by the police when they took out protest procession and created road blockade near Paldi area near the GPCC headquarters.
Speaking to reporters, Sharma and Thakor demanded the resignation of MoS (Home) Harsh Sanghavi, who belongs to Surat and is a legislator from Majura constituency in Surat.
Expressing his shock that such a broad daylight murder could take place in full public view and the police were caught unaware, Sharma asserted, “The law and order situation is worsening in the State and the government is a mute spectator.” Thakor said Sanghavi should apologise to Grishma’s parents and quit his post.
The Congress workers also burned an effigy of Harsh Sanghavi in protest.
Independent MLA Jignesh Mevani, who joined the Congress last year, tweeted, “This is the BJP’s Gujarat model where the mafia has no fear of law.” He posted a screenshot of the video of the incident that went viral.
Meanwhile, chairman of the Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council and Surat Diamond Association chief Dinesh Navadia, Kiran Hospital president and Padma Shri awardee Mathurbhai Sawani, Samast Patidar Samaj President Veljibhai Shetha, Saurashtra Patel Samaj President Kanjibhai Bhalara, diamond industrialist Laljibhai Patel and Patidar leader Savjibhai Vekariya, made strong representations before Surat Police Commissioner Ajay Tomar.
They asserted that not only should the girl’s family get justice but also to ensure that such incidents did not recur and the police should step up patrolling.
