Woman journalist attacked by Gujarat riots convict during interview

January 21, 2016

Ahmedabad, Jan 21: A convict in a Gujarat riots case, out on parole, allegedly assaulted a journalist in Ahmedabad on Wednesday evening when she met him for an interview.

Revati Laul, who is writing a book on the convicts in the 2002 Naroda Patiya massacre case, alleged that she was punched and slapped by Suresh Chhara when she asked him some questions during an interview at his house in Naroda area of Ahmedabad.

She claims that she managed to escape after Suresh Chhara's son and some neighbours intervened.

"I visited him at his house and I politely asked him if he wanted to share information about himself, his past, family and he, without provocation, started slapping me. He kept on punching me and banged my head to the wall. I somehow managed to flee from the spot," Ms Laul said.

Ms Laul was treated at a government hospital and she later lodged a complaint with the Vejalpur police station.

A former NDTV journalist, Revati Laul has been living in Ahmedabad for over a year, working on her book.

Suresh Chhara was convicted to 31 years in prison in 2013 for his involvement in the Naroda Patiya massacre - one of the bloodiest episodes in the 2002 Gujarat riots - in which around 100 people were killed.

He was released on parole by a local court last week, reportedly to trace his teenage daughter who has been missing since the last few months.

Chhara's former wife had alleged last month that he tried to rape her when he was released on parole few months ago, following which his parole was cancelled.

Comments

once a criminal always a criminal

What can you expect from a convicted criminal.....he was jailed for 31 years and got released with 2 years....what a joke and shame for our legal system....

Add new comment

Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.

Major facelift for Mangaluru's sporting heart: Mangala Stadium set for 2-month closure to upgrade synthetic track

News Network

December 15,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Educational institutions in Mangaluru that rely on the popular Mangala Stadium for their annual sports events are bracing for an inconvenience as the city's key sporting venue is set to close its gates for a significant upgrade. The stadium is expected to be unavailable for approximately two months starting from January 15, 2026.

The closure is necessitated by a proposed overhaul of the stadium's facilities, with a special focus on upgrading the synthetic track. Pradeep Dsouza, Assistant Director of the District of Youth Empowerment and Sports (DYES), Dakshina Kannada, confirmed the development.

"Experts have visited the stadium, conducted a thorough inspection, and have given the go-ahead for a complete makeover," Dsouza stated. "Funds have been allocated for the project, and we are currently awaiting the final green signal from state officials to commence the work. We anticipate that the work will likely begin in the second week of January. Consequently, we have stopped renting out the stadium to colleges and other organizations in preparation for the upgrade."

The timing presents a logistical challenge for colleges, as many schools have already concluded their sports meets.

"Colleges will now be organizing their events and will need to find alternative locations to host their sports meets," Dsouza added. He suggested a few potential venues, including the Dakshina Kannada police ground, University College grounds, Panambur grounds, Swaraj Maidan in Moodbidri, and the Mangalore University sports grounds in Konaje.

However, many institutions note that finding a comparable venue will be difficult. While the DK police ground and University College grounds are closer to the city center, they do not possess the extensive facilities and infrastructure offered by Mangala Stadium.

Dr. P Dayananda Pai - P Satisha Govt First Grade College, Carstreet, is one such institution dependent on the stadium. Principal Jayakar Bhandary expressed hope for a swift completion of the work. "We expect the work to be completed at the earliest. If not, we will be forced to look for other venues to host the sports day for our students," Bhandary said, highlighting the pressing need for the city's main sporting facility.

Comments