Ahmedabad: A Muslim teacher from Surat approached the Gujarat high court seeking police protection after her family was prevented from moving into a newly purchased bungalow by members of the housing society, allegedly on the pretext of not obtaining a no-objection certificate (NOC) and on the grounds of their religion.The family sought police protection, but the Surat police did not consider it a fit case for action. The family then moved the high court, which has now stepped in and directed the Surat police commissioner to consider, within four weeks, the family’s request for protection to enable them to reside in their new home.In this case, Sanjeeda Kapadia, 47, a teacher at a private school, purchased Bungalow No. 80 in Kirtinagar Cooperative Housing Society in the Rander area of Surat in Sep 2025 from a Muslim owner. As the govt has invoked the Disturbed Areas Act in the locality, the sale deed was executed after obtaining the mandatory prior permission from the govt in April 2025.On Sep 18, 2025, when the Kapadia family attempted to move into the house, other residents of the society allegedly gathered and prevented their entry. They objected to a Muslim family residing in the house without obtaining an NOC from the society. The society comprises 84 bungalows — 20 occupied by Christian families, eight by Muslim families, and the rest by Hindu families.The dispute reached the Rander police station, where Kapadia’s husband sought police protection. Four days later, an assistant sub-inspector submitted a report after recording the statement of society president Shashikant Kahar, who said that the house could not be sold or rented without an NOC from the society.The officer recommended closure of the application, stating that there was no quarrel between the residents and the Kapadia family, and therefore no action was required on the request for police protection.Kapadia then filed a petition in the high court, stating that police protection was sought due to an imminent threat to her and her family’s safety from society members, despite the house being legally purchased after obtaining prior govt permission under the Disturbed Areas Act. The petitioner contended that it was a legally acquired property and that the family has the right to reside there.After the hearing, Justice M R Mengdey observed: “Having regard to the fact that the petitioner has obtained a permission under the Gujarat Disturbed Areas Act and a sale deed has also been executed in favour of the petitioner, the commissioner of police, Surat city, shall consider the representation submitted by the petitioner for grant of police protection uninfluenced by the communication addressed by the assistant sub-inspector, Rander police station, Surat city, to the police inspector, Rander police station, Surat city.“
