Gujarat Police on Sunday, arrested over 300 people in connection with attacks on migrants from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh over rape of a toddler on September 28. Gujarat Director General of Police Shivanand Jha said that 342 people were arrested from six districts in as many as 42 cases of attacks on migrants.

Congress MLA Alpesh Thakor has rubbished allegations that held him responsible for creating tensions and fanning enmity between Gujaratis and non-Gujaratis after the rape of a 14-month-old girl in Sabarkantha district.

Speaking to the media about the allegations against him, Alpesh Thakor said, “This is unfortunate. We have never advocated violence and only talked of peace. All Indians are safe in Gujarat.”

In the last couple of days, attacks on non-Gujarati speaking people have been reported from many parts of the state.

More than 2,500 police personnel have been deployed in Ahmadabad alone and the government has been repeatedly assuring people that the situation will be under control soon. However, this has failed to convince people as attacks continue on non-Gujarati speaking people at many places.

The exodus started after police arrested a man, who is a native of Bihar, for allegedly raping a 14-month-old girl in Sabarkantha. Soon after the arrest, angry locals started attacking non-Gujarati speaking people in the state.

Local groups started threatening people and vandalizing properties of non-Gujarati speaking communities. In some cases, the properties were also gutted. Similar incidents have been reported from other areas too.

As a result, every day a large number of people are heading to Ahmadabad to try and catch a train or a bus to get out of Gujarat at the earliest. Most of these people were living in areas like Sabarkantha, Mahesana, Aravali, Gandhinagar and Surendranagar.

Director General of Police Shivanand Jha said some people with vested interests are spreading hatred against people from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh on social media platforms.

“We have alerted the cyber cell to remain vigilant and nab such people,” he said. </s> Gujarat Police Sunday arrested over 300 people in connection with the attacks on migrants from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh over rape of a toddler on September 28. Gujarat Police chief Shivanand Jha said that 342 people were arrested from six districts in as many as 42 cases of attacks on migrants.

“Six districts have mainly been affected (by the violence), with Mehsana and Sabarkantha being the worst hit. In these districts, 42 cases have been lodged and so far we have arrested 342 accused. More arrests will be made as names of the accused come up during the investigation,” Director General of Police Shivanand Jha told reporters. He said 17 companies of State Reserve Police (SRP) have been deployed in the affected areas.

“Security of areas inhabited by non-Gujaratis and the factories where they work has been increased. Police have also increased patrols in these areas,” he added.

However, on being asked about the reasons behind the exodus of people from various parts of the state, the police chief maintained that they may be leaving for their native states in view of the upcoming festive season. “If people are leaving for home for a festival, it should not be seen otherwise. I have told my officers to visit residential areas, and if required, visit bus stands and railway stations and if people are found leaving due to fear, (then to) persuade them to come back,” he said.

Congress MLA Alpesh Thakor announced that he will go on a ‘sadbhavna’ (goodwill) fast from October 11 if the government does not withdraw “false cases” registered against his supporters in the wake of the attacks. Thakor had last week demanded justice for the rape survivor and called for giving preference to local people in jobs in industries in Gujarat.

The child whose alleged rape by a man from Bihar on September 28 in Sabarkantha district triggered the violence against Hindi-speaking migrants, was discharged from hospital in Ahmedabad on Saturday. Her condition was stable and she was out of danger, a senior official of the hospital said. The alleged rapist had been arrested on the same day.

Both the BJP and Congress have appealed for peace and harmony in the wake of the violence and exodus of North Indian migrants from Gujarat.

For all the latest India News, download Indian Express App </s> In the wake of recent attacks on migrants from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath has spoken to his Gujarat counterpart Vijay Rupani.

These attacks have triggered a wave of migration as people from North Indian states flee Gujarat fearing for their life. Attacks on North Indian started after an alleged incident of rape of a 14-month-old girl in north Gujarat’s Sabarkantha district. Later sporadic incidents of violence were reported since September 28 in the six districts of the region, mostly against Hindi-speaking people, police had said. After this mass-migration of people started and Hindi-speaking labourers started fleeing for their home states.

Talking to news agency ANI CM Yogi said that he has spoken to Gujarat CM Rupani. Rupani told him that no untoward incident has been reported in the last three days. “People who are jealous of Gujarat’s development are spreading these rumours. Gujarat govt has taken effective steps to tackle the situation,” he said.

Gujarat CM Rupani Monday appealed to people and asked them to not engage in violence. On outfit had claimed that over 20,000 Hindi-speaking migrants have fled Gujarat in one week.

Authorities in Gujarat have arrested 400 people in connection with the violence. Rupani said the situation has been brought under control by police. “Due to Gujarat Police’s intense efforts, the situation is now under control and no report of any untoward incident has come in the last 48 hours,” he said.

In a related development, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar also spoke to his Gujarat counterpart on the matter. “The guilty must be punished but an entire community should not be tarred with the same brush. Our government is aware and alert. I spoke to the Gujarat chief minister Sunday. Our chief secretary and director general of police are also in touch with their counterparts in Gujarat,” he said. </s> AHMEDABAD/PATNA: Additional forces were deployed in industrial areas in Gujarat for the security of Hindi-speaking migrants after attacks on them sparked their exodus that prompted the state government on Monday to make an appeal for their return.Assuring security to the migrants, the Gujarat government said 431 people were arrested and 56 FIRs registered in connection with the attacks, as chief minister Vijay Rupani appealed to people not to engage in violence.Claiming that no untoward incident had taken place during the last 48 hours, Rupani said the situation has been brought under control by police."We are committed to maintaining law and order, and people can call police in case of trouble. We will provide them security." he told reporters in Rajkot.Chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar — Yogi Adityanath and Nitish Kumar — and Union minister and BJP ally Ram Vilas Paswan, who hails from Bihar, spoke to Rupani to voice their concern over the attacks.Since the alleged rape of a 14-month-old girl in Sabarkantha district on September 28, six districts, most of them in north Gujarat, have witnessed sporadic incidents of violence against Hindi-speaking people, police said.Police have arrested Ravindra Sahu, a labourer hailing from Bihar and working in a local ceramic factory, for the crime.Uttar Bharatiya Vikas Parishad president Maheshsingh Kushwah claimed that over 20,000 people belonging to Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar had already fled Gujarat due to the prevailing situation."Over 20,000 migrants from these states have fled due to fear as Hindi-speaking people are being attacked in different parts of the state. All non-Gujaratis should not be seen as culprits for the misdeeds of one person," he said.A political dimension to the attacks was also injected with a leader of the JD(U), which is headed by Nitish Kumar, dashing off a two-page open letter to Congress president Rahul Gandhi, blaming his party for the violence against Biharis."You appointed your Gujarat MLA Alpesh Thakor as one of the national secretaries in-charge of Bihar and his outfit Gujarat Kshatriya Thakor Sena is driving out migrant Biharis," Neeraj Kumar, JD(U) MLC and spokesman, alleged.Without naming opposition Congress, Gujarat home minister Pradeepsinh Jadeja said efforts were underway to find out whether "it(attacks) is a conspiracy by those who are out of power in Gujarat since the last 22 years".Jadeja said it is the responsibility of the state government to provide security to those who come to Gujarat for employment from other states and appealed to those who have fled to come back to the state.He said additional forces have been deployed in industrial areas for the security of migrants.Jadeja told a press conference in Gandhinagar that the Centre had been apprised of the steps taken by the state government to bring the situation under control."The attack on migrant workers is highly condemnable. The chief minister has instructed us to take all necessary steps to stop the attacks."I also appeal to people not to be misled by those who are inciting people for their political gains," Jadeja said.Jadeja said only a handful of people are involved in the violence."We have deployed additional forces in industrial areas for the security of migrants. We have also decided to set up points (camps) for the State Reserve Police (SRP) and increase patrolling in such areas."While police have arrested several members of the Thakor Sena in connection with the attacks and also mentioned the outfit's name in some of the FIRs, its president and Congress MLA Alpesh Thakor alleged that youth from the community were being falsely implicated.Condemning the rape incident, Nitish Kumar said the guilty must be punished but an entire community must not be tarred with the same brush."Our government is aware and alert. I spoke to the Gujarat chief minister yesterday. Our chief secretary and DGP are also in touch with their counterparts in Gujarat," Kumar told reporters in Patna."If somebody has committed a crime, he must be punished severely. But on account of one incident, people must not generalize and hold a grouse against an entire state."Adityanath said the Gujarat chief minister told him that his government has ensured the safety of all and that are all welcome.Rupani also informed there had not been any incident since the past three days and he has also appealed to people against paying any heed to rumours, Adityanath told reporters in Lucknow.Adityanath said Gujarat is a peace loving state and a model of development and that those do not want development spread rumours."Some North Indians living there had called me and I have told them also not to pay heed to the rumours.," he said. </s> NEW DELHI: Union Minister and BJP ally Ram Vilas Paswan expressed concern Monday over cases of violence against Hindi-speaking migrants in Gujarat, while also seeking stringent action against those accused of raping a girl child in the western state.

The Lok Janshakti Party president said he spoke to the state's Chief Minister Vijay Rupani who, he added, told him that those involved in the incidents of violence against north Indians will face tough action.

Rupani also told him that the state government will try the accused in the case of rape in a fast track court.

Paswan said his party also stands for speedy action against the accused.

"I also condemn attacks on north Indians in Gujarat," he said.

Rupani appealed to people not to engage in violence and claimed that no untoward incident had taken place during the last 48 hours.

Non-Gujaratis, especially those hailing from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, have been targeted by locals following the alleged rape of the 14-month-old girl by a native of Bihar, in Gujarat's Sabarkantha district on September 28.

Several cases of attacks on migrants, with reports that thousands of them fled following the violence, surfaced after the alleged rape in the state. </s> Ahmedabad: The police have so far arrested 342 people from various parts of Gujarat for allegedly attacking non-Gujaratis, especially those hailing from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, following the rape of a 14-month-old girl in Sabarkantha district, a senior officer said on Sunday.

Non-Gujaratis were targeted and hate messages circulated against them on social media after a native of Bihar was arrested for allegedly raping the toddler on 28 September.

"Six districts have mainly been affected (by the violence), with Mehsana and Sabarkantha being the worst hit. In these districts, 42 cases have been lodged and so far we have arrested 342 accused.

"More arrests will be made as names of the accused come up during investigation," Director General of Police Shivanand Jha told reporters.

He said 17 companies of State Reserve Police (SRP) have been deployed in the affected areas. "Security of areas inhabited by non-Gujaratis and the factories where they work has been increased. Police have also increased patrolling in these areas," he added.

Two cases have been lodged for spreading rumours on social media which led to violence, the DGP said.

Responding to a question about the exodus of non-Gujaratis following the attacks, Jha said they may be leaving for their native states in view of the upcoming festive season.

"If people are leaving for home for a festival, it should not be seen otherwise. I have told my officers to visit residential areas, and if required, visit bus stands and railway stations and if people are found leaving due to fear, (then to) persuade them to come back," he said.

Police officials in Gandhinagar, the worst-affected district, have been directed to organise camps and communicate with local leaders to convince the people to stay, he said.

Additional forces and vehicles are being provided in districts which have asked for them to ensure safety of the non-Gujarati residents, he added.

Meanwhile, Congress MLA Alpesh Thakor announced that he will go on a 'sadbhavna' (goodwill) fast from 11 October if the government does not withdraw "false cases" registered against his supporters in the wake of the attacks.

He said the fast will be held to protest the "government's attempt to malign him and his supporters" over the violence.

Last week, Thakor had raked up the issue of non-Gujaratis while demanding "justice" for the rape survivor. He had demanded that local people be given preference in jobs in industries in Gujarat. </s> Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday said targeting of migrant workers in Gujarat is “completely wrong” and he is totally against it. Taking to Twitter, he said the root cause of violence in Gujarat is the closure of factories and unemployment there due to which both the system and the economy are reeling.

“There is nothing more frightening than poverty. The root cause of the violence in Gujarat is the closed down factories and unemployment there. Both the system and that economy are reeling. Making migrant labour their target is completely wrong. I stand totally against it,” he said in Hindi on Twitter.

Attacks on Hindi-speaking migrants started after the alleged rape of a 14-month-old girl. The violence has led to exodus of migrant workers which prompted the state government on Monday to make an appeal for their return.

The state government has deployed additional security forces in industrial areas in Gujarat for the safety of migrants. It said 431 people have been arrested and 56 FIRs registered in connection with the attacks on Hindi-speaking people.

For all the latest India News, download Indian Express App </s> Indian Punjab Police personnel escort a police vehicle carrying the seven accused on June 10, 2019. Six of them were convicted while one was found not guilty.

PATHANKOT, India - An Indian court on Monday (June 10) convicted six men of involvement in the rape and murder of an eight-year-old Muslim girl in India's Jammu and Kashmir state last year, said a prosecution lawyer.

The case sparked outrage and criticism of the country's ruling party after some of its members opposed charges being laid.

The girl, from a nomadic Muslim community that roams the forests of Kashmir, was drugged, held captive in a temple and sexually assaulted for a week before being strangled and battered to death with a stone in January 2018.

The abduction, rape and killing of the child was part of a plan to remove the minority nomadic community from the area, the 15-page charge sheet said.

Among those accused were a Hindu priest and police officers, fanning communal tensions between Hindus and Muslims in the area.

"This is a victory of truth," prosecution lawyer M. Farooqi told reporters outside the court. "The girl and her family has got justice today. We are satisfied with the judgment."

The prosecution was seeking the death penalty for three men - priest Sanji Ram, Deepak Khajuria and Parvesh Kumar - who were convicted of rape and murder, he said.

The three others, Surinder Kumar, Tilak Raj and Anand Dutta, were convicted of lesser crimes of destroying evidence. A lawyer leading the legal team representing the accused, Mr AK Sawhney, told reporters they planned to appeal the verdict. The case shocked India, which has an appalling record for violence against women and girls, and led to the introduction of the death penalty for rapists of girls below the age of 12. The trial, held in private, began over a year ago in Pathankot, a town about 70km from Rasana village in Kathua district, where the incident happened, in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. India's Supreme Court shifted the trial to the neighbouring state of Punjab after the girl's family and lawyer said they faced death threats, and local lawyers and Hindu politicians, including some from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, held protests against police filing charges in court. India has long been plagued by violence against women and children. Reported rapes climbed 60 per cent to 40,000 from 2012 to 2016, according to government statistics, and many more go unreported, especially in rural areas. In total, there are eight people accused of involvement in the case. The seventh man, named as Vishal, was found not guilty on Monday, Mr Farooqi said, while the eighth, a juvenile, is currently awaiting trial. </s> Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Monday spoke to his Gujarat counterpart Vijay Rupani and expressed his concern about the violent attacks at non-Gujaratis, including those from Bihar, by mobs seemingly angry over the rape of a minor earlier this week.

“Our government is aware and alert. I spoke to the Gujarat chief minister Sunday. Our chief secretary and director general of police are also in touch with their counterparts in Gujarat,” Nitish was quoted as saying by PTI.

Condemning the rape of the 14-year old allegedly by a migrant from Bihar, Nitish said the guilty must be punished but an entire community cannot be “tarred with the same brush”.

Also Read | Migrants returning homes for festivals not fleeing state, says DGP

“If somebody has committed a crime, he must be punished severely. But on account of one incident, people should not generalise and hold a grouse against an entire state,” the chief minister said.

Meanwhile, former UP CM Akhilesh Yadav came down heavily on the Centre and the state government, both ruled by the BJP. Taking to Twitter, the Samajwadi Party chief said Gujarat is once again in news, where some people are destroying the environment of peace and spread hatred in the name of Hindi-speaking people, the BJP governments at centre and the state are responsible for it.

Meanwhile, a JD(U) leader, in a two-page open letter to Congress president Rahul Gandhi, blamed the grand old party for the violence against people from Bihar. “You appointed your Gujarat MLA Alpesh Thakor as one of the national secretaries in-charge of Bihar and his outfit Gujarat Kshatriya Thakor Sena is driving out migrant Biharis,” Neeraj Kumar, a JD(U) MLC and spokesman, alleged.

Madhepura MP Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav expressed strong resentment over the humiliation that people from Bihar have to face everywhere in the country, Gujarat being only the latest instance. He asked Nitish Kumar and his deputy Sushil Kumar Modi to intervene and ensure that such attacks in Gujarat are stopped.

The Gujarat Police Sunday arrested over 300 people in connection with the attacks on migrants from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh over the rape of a minor on September 28. Congress MLA Alpesh Thakor announced he will go on a ‘sadbhavna’ (goodwill) fast from October 11 if the government does not withdraw “false cases” registered against his supporters in the wake of the attacks. Thakor had last week demanded justice for the rape survivor and called for giving preference to local people in jobs in industries in Gujarat.

For all the latest India News, download Indian Express App </s> PATHANKOT, India: Six men were convicted on Monday (Jun 10) over the gang rape and murder in India of a young girl from a Muslim nomadic tribe that provoked horror and stoked inter-religious tensions.

The six men from the Jammu region of northern India escaped the death sentence, however, with three defendants given life imprisonment and the others five years in jail.



Sexual violence, including against children, is rife in India and outrage over the so-called Kathua case contributed to the government imposing the death penalty for child rapists.

According to the charge sheet, the girl was abducted while she was out grazing horses and taken to a village in Jammu, the Hindu-dominated part of the Muslim-majority state of Jammu and Kashmir, on Jan 10 2018.



In an ordeal lasting five days, she was sedated and held in a Hindu temple, raped repeatedly over five days and then strangled and bludgeoned to death.

Investigations suggested that the girl was targeted in order to strike fear in her nomad community and drive them out of the area.

On Monday a seventh man was acquitted while an eighth person, who claims to be underage, faces a separate trial.

Among the three convicted for rape and murder and sentenced to life were village head Sanjhi Ram and special police officer Deepak Khajuria. The others were found guilty of taking bribes and destroying evidence.

Prosecutors said that they would study the verdict before deciding whether to appeal. The family, who were not present at the trial, had hoped that all six would be given the death sentences, prosecutors said.​​​​​​​



India has the death penalty for the most brutal murders and terror attacks. The last execution happened in 2015 over bombings in Mumbai in 1993.

The Kathua case sparked two days of violent protests in Jammu and demonstrations in several other places across India, including in New Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party also drew flak after two of its members participated in rallies in support of the accused.

The protests were reminiscent of those that followed the fatal gang rape of a Delhi student on a bus in 2012 that made headlines around the world.

The Supreme Court had shifted the Kathua trial to Punjab after the girl's family and their lawyer complained of death threats.

Sexual violence, including against children, remains unabated in India. Nearly 20,000 child rape cases were reported in 2016, according to official data, while a 2014 UN report said one in three rape victims was a minor.



On Monday, hundreds of police were on duty in Pathankot for the trial. Wary of new protests, security was also heavy in Kathua town and surrounding Muslim areas.
A total of 342 people have been arrested for attacking Hindi-speaking migrants in the Indian state of Gujarat. The new wave of violence was prompted by the arrest of a non-Gujarati for the alleged rape of a 14-month-old baby a week prior.