Viral Sach: Red 'cross marks' that triggered panic in Ahmedabad were part of sanitation drive

NEW DELHI: Panic gripped the residents of Paldi, a small suburb in Ahmedabad after they found their front doors marked with a cross on Monday. Across social media, the 'X' marks were perceived as a ploy of targetting of a particular community in poll-bound Gujarat. There was fear and panic among Muslims when they found red marks on the main gates. Locals have alleged that such markings might be an attempt to disturb the peace in the area ahead of the polls. However, it was revealed that cross marks in red colour were painted not only in Muslim societies but also on the gates of Hindu societies in Paldi area for the implementation of the waste collection project. The marks were put up by one of the agencies under Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation to identify the societies which would be covered under the civic body's Global Positioning System-based waste collection system. The markings have now been removed as the agency did not inform the AMC about it. According to PTI, the city police swung into action after residents of one such society in Paldi area here wrote a letter yesterday to the Election Commission and the city's police commissioner, urging them to inquire the matter. The residents wrote in the letter that they feared it (putting the marks) was done with a "clear purpose to identify Muslims living in that area" ahead of the assembly polls in Gujarat next month. "The cross marks would help the sanitation supervisors to identify those societies which would be covered under their GPS-based waste collection system. There is no reason for residents to panic," Paldi's police inspector B S Rabari said. (With inputs from PTI)