The new face of urban rage in Ahmedabad.

Intolerance and urban aggression are on the rise in the city, particularly against women. Jigna Shah, owner of the boutique, Revé, in Vastrapur was beaten up and her clothes torn off on the road by a restaurant owner near her shop.

Shah was assaulted by one Deepak, contractor of Fast Food Restaurant, and his friend Hasmukh Sanghani at around 10:30 in the morning on Friday.

“They are always looking for a reason to pick up a quarrel with us but this time they crossed all limits and physically assaulted me,” Shah said. She owns Revé boutique at Orchid Plaza in Bodakdev
area of Vastrapur.

A dispute over parking space seems to have played a role in triggering the incident. Deputy commissioner of police (traffic) SM Khatri could not find the time to speak on the issue but joint commissioner of police, SM Katara, told DNA that the police cannot go to each and every house.

“There are crores of vehicles in lakhs of houses and commercial complexes. We cannot reach every place. The problem of parking space cannot be solved unless people themselves do something about it,” Katara said.

Sources in the police said that the incident occurred when Shah reached Orchid Plaza in her Alto car on Friday morning. She found that the parking space was already occupied by a motorcycle belonging to Sanghani.

She was trying to move the motorcycle when Sanghani saw her. He started shouting at her and then caught her by the scruff of her neck, and assaulted her, sources said.

Rukmi Thakkar and Shilpa Thakkar, both employees of Shah, were witness to the entire incident. They intervened and mediated with the assaulters to free their boss. But Shah called the police control room. Sanghani, who was already angry with Shah, rammed his motorbike into her car, denting it badly.
Vastrapur police arrived on the spot and arrested Sanghani and two other people.

Shah alleged that the contractor of the fast food hotel, Deepak, was notorious for ogling and teasing girls who came to her boutique. “We find his behavior rude. It is because of him that the surrounding area remains unclean,” she alleged.

Vastrapur police have seized four gas cylinders from Deepak’s hotel because they were being used commercially despite being allotted for domestic use.