BackPatel protests turn violent in Gujarat towns; curfew imposed
Hardik Patel's group and Sardar Patel Group call strike in Gujarat on Monday
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Mehsana: Curfew was imposed in Mehsana town in Gujarat on Sunday and mobile internet service was banned as a massive rally of the Patel community demanding reservation and immediate release of their jailed leaders turned violent with two buildings being set ablaze and some police vehicles damaged.
“We have imposed a curfew in Mehsana town till tomorrow morning. Mobile internet service has been suspended during this period. The violent mob set ablaze two government properties... a sub-divisional magistrate and a mamlatdar (revenue officer) were injured in the stone-pelting," said Lochan Sehra, collector of Mehsana, 73km from Ahmedabad.
A godown of the Food Corporation of India and a district office were set on fire, police said, adding 15 people have been detained in this connection.
Five policemen and two officials sustained injuries in the violence, police said, while protesters claimed that 25 of their supporters were injured in police action. In Surat, police detained 435 Patel agitators who hit the streets after learning about the incident in Mehsana.
Surat police commissioner Ashish Bhatia said the situation was under control. Mobile internet services were banned also in Surat and Rajkot as a precautionary measure, district authorities said.
In Mehsana, police used baton charge and fired tear gas shells on the protesters who allegedly engaged in stone-pelting. Patel protesters had gathered at Modhera crossroad as part of their jail bharo agitation announced by the Sardar Patel Group (SPG), one of the prominent groups seeking other backward classes quota for the Patel community.
SPG chief Lalji Patel received a head injury during the face-off with the police. A blame game erupted with police claiming they resorted to baton charge only after some people started hurling stones at them while the Patels alleged that agitators were targeted without any provocation.
“Our protest was peaceful as announced earlier. However, police suddenly hit me and some of our members when we were walking ahead of the procession. I was hit on head. You can see the blood on my face. We were beaten up without any provocation," said Patel, who along with some other agitators were detained by police.
In-charge DGP of Gujarat P.P. Pandey said the situation deteriorated only after some people resorted to violence. “Police always work to establish peace. The gathering was peaceful initially. However, the situation deteriorated only after some persons resorted to violence and damaged property," Pandey said.
Meanwhile, the SPG as well as Hardik Patel-led Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) have given a call for “Gujarat bandh" on Monday.
“Our Patel brothers were brutally beaten up during the peaceful rally today. Lalji and few other SPG leaders received grievous injuries in the police lathicharge. We condemn this use of excessive force by police and have given a call for Gujarat bandh tomorrow," said SPG spokesperson Purvin Patel, adding that PAAS too supported the strike.
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