A security guard at the Dudhsagar Dairy in Mehsana city in Gujarat was injured when a former vice chairman's son allegedly opened fire during a scuffle outside its main gate ahead of the annual general meeting on Tuesday morning, a police officer said.
The accused, identified as Harshad Chaudhary, is the son of Dudhsagar Dairy's ex-chairman Moghji Chaudhary. Harshad, his cousin, and Moghji were also admitted to the hospital following the scuffle, the officer said.
Dudhsagar Dairy is a unit of the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation, which sells its products under the "Amul" brand. "The injured security guard, Jayanti Chaudhary, is out of danger and currently undergoing treatment at a private hospital. The accused, Harshad Chaudhary, is also undergoing treatment at another hospital," said Mehsana district superintendent of police, Achal Tyagi.
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Harshad's father Moghji Chaudhary and Harshad's cousin were also admitted to the hospital, he added. Tyagi said the fight broke out when the Chaudharies were entering the dairy premises in their car.
"They had some heated arguments with security guards and others outside the main gate of the dairy. During a scuffle, Harshad fired one round at Jayanti Chaudhary, injuring him on his chest. He is now out of danger. We will lodge an FIR after recording his statement," said Tyagi.
Moghji Chaudhari, who was ousted as the vice chairman of the dairy last year, is considered close to former dairy chairman Vipul Chaudhary. The Mehsana District Cooperative Milk Producers' Union, popularly known as Dudhsagar Dairy, is a unit of the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation, which sells its products under the "Amul" brand.
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While Moghji claimed that he and his son were attacked at the behest of the dairy's current chairman Ashok Chaudhary, the latter alleged that Moghji's car was stopped at the main gate because he was trying to bring in "unauthorised persons" for the AGM.
"As soon as our car reached the main gate, 6 to 7 persons and security guards attacked it and pulled me out. They started hitting me using sticks. My son and my nephew were also injured in the attack. To scare the mob, my son fired one round in the air from his licensed revolver," Moghji told reporters from his hospital bed.
"We were attacked at the behest of the dairy chairman because I was going to expose his mismanagement and irregularities during the general meeting," he added.
Ex-chairman Vipul Chaudhary, who rushed to meet Moghji at the hospital, claimed the latter was attacked to deter him from exposing several irregularities such as theft of milk powder and butter from the dairy and the attempts by the management to shut dairy's two Delhi-based units to favour private players.
Rebutting the charges, Ashok Chaudhary said Moghji was stopped because he was trying to bring in unauthorised persons to the meeting, which is not allowed as per the rules.
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"The security staff stopped his car because he was trying to bring unauthorised persons with him. Out of anger, one of the persons in the car fired on our guard. We are not afraid of discussing any issue during the meeting. What Moghjibhai was saying is not true," said the dairy chairman after the meeting.
(With PTI inputs)
