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Gangs of Porbandar Part 2: How Gandhiji’s birthplace became a hotbed of violence

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Birthplace of Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi, Porambadar was world famous for its craftsmanship and architecture. This land of Mahatma Gandhi, who taught the world the lesson of non-violence, later became a center of violence. From the 1960s to the first decade of the 21st century, the city was dominated by the mafia. Over time, many gangs were registered in the police register. However, to talk about the rise of the mafia empire amidst all this, we have to go back to the late 60s. In the 1960s India was dominated by textile mills from Mumbai to Porbandar. At this time the unions of the workers working in the mills operated on their own and clashed with the mill owners from time to time. In many cities, there have been cases of trade union officials systematically bullying mill owners.

The best of Porbandar can look down on the situation in Saurashtra

Maharaja Natwar Singh’s dream of making Porbandar a Paris begins here. Before coming to the main point let’s go over the background of the city. Seth Nanji Kalidas Mehta of Porbandar was a big name at that time. He owned the Maharana Mill in Porbandar, a cement factory in Ranawaw, a sugar mill, a rubber mill, tea and coffee plantations in Lugazi, Uganda, Africa. He had his mark in Saurashtra as Bhamasha. An example of his time as a Bhamasha is from 1948 to 1956 when Saurashtra was a state and Uchangarai Dhebar was the first Chief Minister, when financial revenues were not significant, the government did not have enough money to pay salaries to employees and if the employees were on time. If payment is not made, there will be distrust of the government. Someone suggested contacting Porbandar based Nanji Kalidas Mehta for this solution. Dhebarbhai reached Porambadar in a car and met Nanji Seth. In the afternoon, Nanji eats with Seth Dhebarbhai and learns the reason for their visit. Dhebarbhai made it clear that the state did not have much revenue and requested employees to help them pay on time. At that time Maharana Mill was dominant in Porbandar. About 2500 laborers were working in this mill. Nanji Kalidas called the manager and asked him to come home with the check book. Nanji Kalidas asked Dhebarbhai how much money he needed. 30 lakhs came from the front. Nanji Seth without a moment’s thought wrote a check of 30 lakhs to Dhebarbhai and said that I am giving it as a grant without any conditions. Thus, he saved the state of Saurashtra by paying a huge amount. Due to such service of Nanji Kalidas, Maharana Natwar Singh of Porbandar gave him the title of Rajya Ratna. To give Nanji Kalidas Mehta another identity that is well remembered by today’s generation, he is the father-in-law of famous film actress Juhi Chawla. Film actress Juhi Chawla, who started her film career with film actor Aamir Khan in the famous film Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, is the wife of Jai Mehta, son of Mahendra Mehta, son of Nanji Kalidas. Jai Mehta was previously married to Sujata Birla, who died in a plane crash in 1990. After that, Jai Mehta got married again to actress Juhi Chawla.



Seth Nanji Kalidas brought in the mafia to break the trade union

Early 60s to late 60s. That is to turn to Porambadar’s crime. Seth Nanji Kalidas Mehta’s Maharana Mill named Bhamasha was very famous at that time. The labor union working in this mill was very strong. Nanji Seth was very disturbed by the frequent strikes here. He wanted to weaken the labor union and find a permanent solution to this problem. For this he took the help of a tiger from the Draka region. Tigers living in the Drarka and Okha regions are a very warlike breed. Seth brought two brothers named Devu Vadher and Karshan Vadher from this area to Porbandar. The Wagher brothers took help to break the strike in the mill, but as the saying goes, Seth managed to break the strike like a camel kills a goat, but Devu and Karshan Vagher’s annoyance now extended to the labor union. The fear of these two brothers increased due to the monopoly of extortion and black market in the city.

The phone of Munja brothers who came for labor rang

At this time the Mehers and other castes of the area around Porambadar were working as laborers in the mills. Meher Kom mainly live in Porbandar, Barda area, Ranawav and Kutiana area. During this time many people used to go from rural areas to Porbandar city to earn daily bread. One such youth comes to Porbandar with his family from Kadach village to do something new. This young man is none other than Saraman Munja Kadcha. Saraman and his brother Arjan have joined Maharana Mills as laborers from Porbandar. Another feature of Porbandar district is that the Mehers and other castes here are known by the name of their village. For example, if the Oddar village is Odedara, the natives of Mokar village are called Mokaria while the people of Modhwada village are called Modhwadia. Saraman Munja was a native of Kadcha village and was known as Saraman Munja Kadcha. Saraman Munja Kadcha later resolved his surname and changed it to Jadeja.

Devu Wagher and Karsan Wagher’s rivalry ends but a gang war begins

Saraman and his brother Arjan work in the Maharana mill. Devu and Karshan Wagher used to borrow installments from the mill workers and lend money to the workers at high interest rates. Devu and Karshan Vagher had to pay installments when the workers got their salaries. Something similar happened to Saraman Munja at the time of payment of salary. Devu Vadher and Sarman had a quarrel when Sarman asked to pay later as he was sick at home and was in dire need of money. A few days after this fight, Devu Wadher was sitting on the bank of a canal in front of the Maharana Mill in the Kadia plot area in the early morning, where three or four people gathered and later killed him in the dark of the morning. The names of Arjan Munja and Sarman Munja, the main accused in this murder case, came up. After this murder, a gang war started in Porbandar city. There were frequent fights between the Meher and Wagher gangs in the streets and theaters of the city. After Devu Wagher’s murder, Karan Wagher’s dominance waned a bit. After Devu Wagher, Saraman and his cohorts were now planning to kill Karshan Wagher. Meanwhile, one day when Karshan was leaving Maharana Mills in his Ambassador car one morning, Saraman Munja and his friends rammed a truck over the car. Both the doors of the car were smashed and the front glass was broken and Karshan was brutally murdered with weapons like spears and axes. The killing of Karshan at Dhola created an uproar in the city. The gang of Sarman Munja and Arjan Munja Jadeja was named after this murder. Thus with the end of the Wagher brothers in the city of Porbandar came the rise of Sarman Munja Jadeja of Kadacha. Both the doors of the car were smashed and the front glass was broken and Karshan was brutally murdered with weapons like spears and axes. The killing of Karshan at Dhola created an uproar in the city. The gang of Sarman Munja and Arjan Munja Jadeja was named after this murder. Thus with the end of the Wagher brothers in the city of Porbandar came the rise of Sarman Munja Jadeja of Kadacha. Both the doors of the car were smashed and the front glass was broken and Karshan was brutally murdered with weapons like spears and axes. The killing of Karshan at Dhola created an uproar in the city. The gang of Sarman Munja and Arjan Munja Jadeja was named after this murder. Thus with the end of the Wagher brothers in the city of Porbandar came the rise of Sarman Munja Jadeja of Kadacha.