Pravin Togadia of VHP disappears, later found unconscious

Mumbai Mirror

Ahmedabad, 16 Jan 2018: Vishwa Hindu Parishad International Working President Pravin Togadia was on Monday evening found in unconscious state and admitted to a Shahibaug hospital after he was reported “missing” earlier in the morning. City Crime Branch officials said he was suffering from low blood sugar and was brought to Chandramani Hospital in unconscious state by 108 emergency service.

 

Dr Roopkumar Agrawal of the hospital said Pravin Togadia was being treated for hypoglycemia. Heavy police security was deployed at the hospital preventing VHP workers from entering the premises. VHP workers raised slogans and sought explanation from the police about their leader’s disappearance.

 

Togadia had recently talked about “threat to his life” in Gujarat and cited it as the reason for staying away from his home state. It may be noted that Togadia and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were once close and together played a significant role towards rise of the saffron front in Gujarat. Both travelled Ahmedabad together on a scooter or motorcycle, spreading the message of hindutva. However, they have been loggerheads ever since Modi became the Chief Minister of Gujarat in 2002.

 

Togadia’s utterances about threat to his life and his sudden disappearance snowballed into a full-fledged law and order situation as the evening progressed with the home department asking the police commissioner to deploy additional security in the city in light of “building tension”. In the evening VHP workers blocked the Sarkhej-Gandhinagar Highway, throwing traffic out of gear on one of the busiest roads that connects Ahmedabad with capital Gandhinagar. There were reports of statewide protests by VHP workers, particularly in Surat, Surendranagar and Patan.

The fact that police was not aware of his whereabouts fuelled speculations that a deeper conspiracy was at play behind his disappearance. City Crime Branch chief J K Bhatt said: “On Monday, Togadia arrived at 1 am at VHP office in Paldi with security staff. He relieved his Z-plus security staff and instructed them to return by 2.30 pm. Around 10.30 am, Togadia left for an undisclosed location in an autorickshaw along with a VHP worker. Before leaving the VHP office he told the SRP jawan that he was going out for personal work and would return by 2 pm. Thereafter, Togadia did not return to the VHP office.”

 

Bhatt further said “We are in contact with Ranchhod Bharvad who is Gujarat VHP’s General Secretary. We set up four special teams to trace VHP leader’s location and hope to find him soon.” Police sources said they were studying CCTV footage from VHP office and other locations for more clues.

 

Bharwad told reporters: “Our International Working President Pravin Togadia is missing since 10 am today. Rajasthan police came seeking his arrest in a 10-year-old case which was registered by the Gehlot government. Case was registered based on presence of Togadia in a program where three Hindus were killed. We want police to find him at the earliest as we are concerned.”

 

Rajasthan Police denied detention or arrest of Togadia. “Togadia was not at all arrested by our team. As per my information, the police team of Gangapur (in Rajasthan) is returning without executing the arrest warrant, as he was not found in Ahmedabad,” said Inspector General of Police, Bharatpur range, Alok Kumar Vashishtha.

 

Sola Police Station PI J S Patel said the Rajasthan police had sought their help in executing the warrant against Togadia. “However, he was not found at this home. The team of Rajasthan officials then left. We do not know about Togadia’s whereabouts and he’s not in our custody.”