Gill readies blueprint to tackle Gujarat

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal">AHMEDABAD: On Tuesday night, Ahmedabad police discovered a brand new indigenous weapon - tennis balls stuffed with explosive powder and shrapnel, which make a deadly bomb.<br />The discovery came after a massive combing operation in Khiskola Pol, Kalupur, where violence had been carrying on since Monday night.<br /><img height="135" width="112" src="-00.jpg" alt="-00.jpg" border="0" /></div> </div><div class="section2"><div class="Normal">The findings in the now abandoned area included acid bulbs, glass bottles, glass powder, cans and other things, that will not be out of place in a household or a scrapyard.What made them important was the fact that all could be assembled into lethal weapons.<br />The foray by the local police seemed an attempt to bring the real criminals to book, before supercop K P S Gill and his crack commandos could lay their hands on them. Speculations about Gill mounting a Punjab-style combing operation also seem to have a hand in sending them into overdrive.<br />On Tuesday, Gill held a three-and-a-half-hour meeting with senior police officers in police commissioner P C Pande’s chamber, which was also attended by director-general of police K Chakravarthi.<br />Gill is said to have assessed the situation in the city and inquired in detail about Naroda Patia and Chamanpura massacres.<br />Unconfirmed reports said that Gill had also apparently sought the help of the local police in identifying certain locations. It was not confirmed whether this was a precursor to Punjab-type search operations, especially in the minority-dominated areas.<br />A minister in the state government wanted the entire Juhapura area searched. ‘‘After the massive killing that followed Godhra, the ruling regime is now fearing a major minority backlash and hence the combing plans,’’ said an official.<br />Despite rumours of AK-47 and country-made revolvers having been seen in certain areas of the city, police seizures only show various indigenous bombs, swords, metal pipes, hockey sticks and acid bulbs.<br />‘‘If someone keeps acid, kerosene, kitchen knives, rags or sticks in his house, it is not an offence, since these are things used for domestic purposes,’’ contends a deputy commissioner of police. But this, he feels, will only provide police with more ammunition to pick up and exploit innocent people.<br />Though ‘combing’ means searching on the basis of specific information for contraband stuff, it has come to mean ‘sanitising’ under the present circumstances, feel an official.<br />‘‘The police can under Section 165, CrPC, conduct searches without a warrant, only if they feel that there are possibilities of evidence disappearing if there is a delay,’’ said a DIG-rank officer.<br />What interpretation of law will Gill and his men arm themselves with, remains to be seen, feel the local police.<br /><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="">Related Stories: </span><br /><img src="/images/ticker.gif"> <a href="/articleshow.cms?art_id=9297383">Modi faces ministers'' ire over violence</a><br /><img src="/images/ticker.gif"> <a href="/articleshow.cms?art_id=9298021">Allies unhappy, helpless as BJP toes own agenda</a><br /><img src="/images/ticker.gif"> <a href="/articleshow.cms?art_id=9310026">Riots, victims’ outrage take the toll on doctors</a><br /><img src="/images/ticker.gif"> <a href="/articleshow.cms?art_id=9310104">A Hindu brother rescues Muslim sister</a><br /><img src="/images/ticker.gif"> <a href="/articleshow.cms?art_id=9310260">Muslim scholar’s treasure trove of Sanskrit goes up in smoke</a><br /></img></img></img></img></img></div> </div>