Patel quota agitation turns violent
April 18, 2016, Ahmedabad, DHNS
Curfew was clamped on north Gujarat town of Mehsana and mobile internet services suspended as the ongoing Patel quota stir on Sunday turned violent.
Over 1,500 agitators from across the state were taken into the custody.
The trouble began in Mehsana, where Patels had gathered in large numbers to participate in “jail bharo” agitation call given by Sardar Patel Group, one of the two organisations spearheading Patel quota stir in the state.
The SPG had urged its supporters to court arrest en masse to pressurise the state government to accede to their demand for the release of the jailed Patel leaders.
During the course of events, the Patels took out a rally after holding a meeting in Mehsana. When the police tried to stop the crowd from taking out rally, some in the mob resorted to stone-pelting. This led to the police resorting to lathi-charge and fired teargas shells. They also arrested over 1,000 agitators in Mehsana.
SPG convenor Lalji Patel was injured in the melee. Whether the injuries were due to stone-pelting or lathi-charge by the police was not clear. However, visuals of injured Laljibhai became viral on the social media across the state.
Offices of ministers Rajnikant Patel and Nitin Patel, a FCI godown and a state government building were set on fire in Mehsana. The Patel mob also torched the Sub Divisional Magistrate’s vehicle and a state transport bus.
Reports of local buses being attacked with stones in Patel dominated Ghatlodia area of Ahmedabad and blockade of Bhavnagar-Talaja highway in Saurashtra region forced state administration to impose internet curfew and divert over 200 state transport buses.
In Surat, the police arrested 435 people as Patel agitators clashed with police personnel. “This city belongs to all and those creating mischief will be dealt with strictly. We have imposed Section 144 of IPC in the city to prevent any unwarranted incident,” Ashish Bhatia, Surat Police Commissioner, said.
Even as state BJP president Vijay Rupani, BJP National general secretary Purushottam Rupala and state party spokesperson Bharat Pandya appealed to agitators to maintain peace and urged police to exercise restraint.
Over 1,500 agitators from across the state were taken into the custody.
The trouble began in Mehsana, where Patels had gathered in large numbers to participate in “jail bharo” agitation call given by Sardar Patel Group, one of the two organisations spearheading Patel quota stir in the state.
The SPG had urged its supporters to court arrest en masse to pressurise the state government to accede to their demand for the release of the jailed Patel leaders.
During the course of events, the Patels took out a rally after holding a meeting in Mehsana. When the police tried to stop the crowd from taking out rally, some in the mob resorted to stone-pelting. This led to the police resorting to lathi-charge and fired teargas shells. They also arrested over 1,000 agitators in Mehsana.
SPG convenor Lalji Patel was injured in the melee. Whether the injuries were due to stone-pelting or lathi-charge by the police was not clear. However, visuals of injured Laljibhai became viral on the social media across the state.
Offices of ministers Rajnikant Patel and Nitin Patel, a FCI godown and a state government building were set on fire in Mehsana. The Patel mob also torched the Sub Divisional Magistrate’s vehicle and a state transport bus.
Reports of local buses being attacked with stones in Patel dominated Ghatlodia area of Ahmedabad and blockade of Bhavnagar-Talaja highway in Saurashtra region forced state administration to impose internet curfew and divert over 200 state transport buses.
In Surat, the police arrested 435 people as Patel agitators clashed with police personnel. “This city belongs to all and those creating mischief will be dealt with strictly. We have imposed Section 144 of IPC in the city to prevent any unwarranted incident,” Ashish Bhatia, Surat Police Commissioner, said.
Even as state BJP president Vijay Rupani, BJP National general secretary Purushottam Rupala and state party spokesperson Bharat Pandya appealed to agitators to maintain peace and urged police to exercise restraint.
No comments:
Post a Comment