Gujarat: Days after he walked out on bail, SMC razes ‘illegal’ structures built by murder accused

On Wednesday, a large number of policemen armed with fire weapons and wooden sticks reached Nanpura Jamrukh gali to demolish unauthorised constructions allegedly built by Sajju near his house. Surat Municipal Corporation found that the illegal structures were creating obstacles for commuters. Sajju and his gang members have two GUJCTOC complaints on their heads; all of them are presently out on bail.

Sources in the SMC said they have demolished two extended structures on the main road. Police sources said that locals could not raise any objection as they were scared of Sajju. As police and SMC officials reached outside Sajju’s house on Wednesday afternoon, he let them carry out the demolition, the sources added.

The last time Sajju was arrested by the Surat Crime Branch was on March 26, 2022 from his house after a GUJCTOC complaint was registered against him and his gang members. Over 50 Surat Crime Branch officials, along with three police inspectors and the Assistant Commissioner of Police, had reached Jamrukh gali in Nanpura. Sajju’s family members and locals raised objections, but the police used force and entered his bungalow. After a couple of hours of search, when the police failed to locate him, a police officer called up his informer and was told that he was hiding in a “secret room” hidden behind a wall. Subsequently, police broke into the hideout in the bungalow and brought him out. Sajju has been involved in assaulting the police team when they came to arrest him in the past. After his arrest under the GUJCTOC Act, Kothari had been in jail since 2022, until he walked out on bail earlier this month.

On Tuesday, SMC’s Udhna Zone officials had, with police protection, reached the government housing colony in the Udhna and demolished unauthorised structures built by Rahul, who allegedly runs his own gang and was recently released from jail. As per sources, on Tuesday, Rahul was in Maharashtra to attend some programme at Nandurbar. Police sources said that Rahul was carrying out illegal activities from three unauthorised structures. Rahul had been involved in petty crimes as well, they added. After a video of the murder of gangster Surya Marathi of Surat went viral, Rahul was arrested under GUJCTOC. Police sources said that Rahul has over 25 criminal cases registered against him that include heinous crimes such as murder.

Gujarat’s Director General of Police (DGP) Vikas Sahay had on Saturday held a meeting with all district superintendents and range inspector generals of police and police commissioners of the state through video conference and instructed them to prepare a list of anti-social elements living in their police station area in the following 100 hours.

Surat police prepared a list of around 1,400 anti-social elements and criminals. Sources said that among them, over 340 were involved in heinous crimes and have spread terror. The police had also listed nine gangs, along with the names of their gang leaders and members who had been booked under GUJCTOC.

Talking to The Indian Express, Surat Crime Branch Deputy Commissioner of Police B P Roziya said, “Acting on the instructions of the DGP, we have prepared a list of over 1,400 criminals in Surat city who have committed heinous offences, regular crimes, murders and murder attempts, and others who have spread terror in the society. They are being called at the police station, and their details like house address, source of income, Aadhaar card details, bank account details, etc. are being collected.”

“Majority of such criminals are in Dindoli, Udhna, Limbayat Athwalines, Salabaptura, Varachha, Chowk Bazaar, and Pandesara. The police are also checking their bail conditions and ensuring that they have not committed any offence after being bailed out. We will continue the drive against unauthorised structures built by criminals in Surat,” he further added.