Video Of Olpad Village Panchayat Member Threatening A Dalit Social Worker Goes Viral In Surat, Police Mum

Surat rural police and the Olpad police station have come under fire for allegedly turning a blind eye to a complaint filed by an oppressed Dalit social worker

By Melvyn Thomas

Surat : In a video that has gone viral in Surat, an Olpad Village panchayat member is seen threatening a social activist with abusive language. The complainant, a Dalit caste member, filed a written complaint with the Olpad police station but received no response, prompting him to approach the Olpad judicial court.

Surat rural police and the Olpad police station have come under fire for allegedly turning a blind eye to a complaint filed by an oppressed Dalit social worker, Govind Baraiya, a resident of Olpad, against Nasigul alias Gani Gulam Hussain Patel, a ward member of Olpad village panchayat.

Gani Patel is heard threatening Govind Baraiya in abusive language and threatening to break his legs in front of village panchayat staff in a video that has gone viral on social media. The victim had gone to the panchayat office to obtain some vital information when Gani Patel slammed Barariya and told the staff members not to entertain him when he approach at the panchayat office regarding the work of others.

Gani used abusive language against the Talati of the village panchayat in the video and threatened to thrash him if he returned to the office.

After this incident, Baraiya was unable to sleep for the rest of the night and decided to file a complaint against Gani Patel at the Olpad police station. On November 11, 2022, Baraiya filed his complaint against Gani Patel. The police, who are said to have friendly relations with Gani, put the complaint on hold.

However, Baraiya decided to seek justice at the Olpad taluka court.

“Ward member Gani Patel victimised me in front of many people and Olpad panchayat staff,” said Baraiya. “I am a Dalit social worker. Despite this, Gani Patel abused me and threatened me with dire consequences. The Olpad village panchayat office is a public space where anyone can go for work. “A member cannot react in such a way,” Baraiya added.

MB Tomar, police inspector of Olpad police station, when contacted by The Blunt Times defended the accused in the video saying, “The complaint is five months old and the complainant has gone in the court for justice. The complainant has a criminal record, and several cases have been filed against him.”

Baraiya has levelled serious charges against the police department for failing to act on his complaint against Gani Patel. This was the reason he went to the Olpad judicial court in search of justice.

When contacted Hitesh Joysar, superintendent of police, Surat Rural hanged the phone saying, “Contact Olpad police station for the matter”.

Courtesy : The Blunt Times

Note: This news piece was originally published in theblunttimes.com and used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes exclusively for Human Rights.