Mob of Patidar agitators vs Police in Mahesana: Leader Lalji Patel injured, held

Mahesana

‘Jail bharo’ agitation in Mahesana called by Patidar caste outfit Sardar Patel Group(SPG) as part of its OBC quota stir today turned violent when thousands of Patidar community youths occupied ‘Modhera chokdi’ circle and walked towards sub-jail seeking their arrest. After stone pelting from Patidar crowds, Police used water canon to stop thousands of Patidars walking towards police building. Police also can charged the agitators.Many Patidars were seen having lathis in hand. Leader of SPG Lalji Patel was held by police from the crowd. He suffered head injury and was bleeding as a result. Police also used Vajra vehicle to lob tear gas shells on agitators. Meanwhile Lalji Patel has been taken to civil hospital for treatment. In another news, a mob of Patidar rushed to B division police station. In response police fired four rounds in air. According to Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti(PAAS) spokesperson Varun Patel, four delegates of PAAS from Piludra village in north Gujarat were injured. One Jitendra Patel suffered injury near eyes. One other agitator was seriously injured possibly due to tear gas shell.

– Traffic on Ahmedabad-Mahesana highway was affected due to agitation.

– It was immediately not clear whether the injury on Lalji Patel’s head was caused owing to the heavy stone pelting by the agitators or the baton charge.

-More than 500 security personnel including 2 companies of SRP, 39 PI and 4 DySp rank officials have been deployed on the Modhera-Radhanpur road to prevent the agitators from reaching the jail. Water cannon was also used to control the unruly mob.

-The district administration has held illegal the campaign which the SPG has organized demanding immediate release of PAAS leader Hardik Patel and other agitators of Patidar quota stir and withdrawal of all the agitation related cases.

-State government spokesperson Nitin Patel, who is slated to chair a meeting of the seven ministers committee tomorrow on the Patidar quota stir issue in Gandhinagar, today appealed the agitators to maintain the order.All the related issues would be discussed in the meeting. The agitators should show patience and demonstrate peacefully, he said.

– DeshGujarat