Kalol riot accused get rousing welcome

VADODARA: Hundreds have landed in trouble in Kalol in Panchmahal district after they joined a euphoric crowd that rushed to welcome home seven women who were arrested in connection with rioting in Kalol on July 10. The women returned home after nearly two months in judicial custody on Friday on bail.
Rioting had taken place in Kalol with police and vehicles being targeted after an accused in an assault case was picked up by the police.Policemen were injured in the incident and 117 persons were arrested by police in connection with the rioting later.
Deputy superintendent of police, Harpalsinh Rathod said that the women who were accused in the case were granted bail on Thursday. “They were in the Vadodara jail and were brought to Kalol on Friday,” he said.
When the vehicle carrying the women reached Kalol, a crowd gathered near the fish market on the Kacheri Road and crowded the vehicle from all sides. The crowd kept swelling as time passed while slogans were also raised by the crowd present at the site.
Videos of the incident show that even the balconies of houses on the street were packed with onlookers. The viral videos were even edited with addition of song and dialogue.
Rathod said that not only had people assembled in large numbers, they were also not observing Covid guidelines by wearing masks and maintaining social distancing. The accused have been booked under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code, Epidemic Act and the Disaster Management Act.