Mahesana: Congress workers are seen on the roads in some parts of North Gujarat to enforce strike against custodial death of theft case accused 32-year old Ketan Patel (belonging to politically influential Patidar community) in Mahesana. Yesterday the Mahesana town observed bandh while today the Congress party and supporting organization PAAS has given bandh call across north Gujarat.

– Unidentified hooligans believed to be associated with Patidar/Congress north Gujarat bandh call today torched a State Transport bs on Visnagar – Kada route of Mahesana district in the afternoon. There were over two dozen passengers inside the bus who were asked to leave the bus. The hooligans had covered their face with handkerchief. They torched the bus and fled away. The bus was on way to Bapunagar in Ahmedabad from Visnagar. Police and fire brigade teams rushed to the spot.

– MoS Transport Vallabh Kakadia today said that the Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation(GSRTC) has not pulled out any ST bus from service in north Gujarat and all routes are functioning normally in coordination with police.

– However the buses operated from Visnagar and those passing through Mahesana were pulled back from service due to safety reasons.

– Agitators burnt tyres at Bagwada darwaja area in Patan.

– Congress workers stopped traffic in Dhanera belt of Banaskantha district which resulted into two-km long traffic jam.

– As many as two dozen persons were detained in Himmatnagar.

– Mahesana vegetable market, APMC are operating but markets are closed.

– Barring these few pockets, there has been no impact of bandh call in other parts of north Gujarat.

– BJP spokesperson Bharat Pandya giving his reaction said the incident of death of youth in Mahesana is sad. The State government has handed over the probe to Chief Judicial Magistrate. This is sensitive and human issue. Congress should not play politics over this issue. The people have rejected Congress’s ill-motive. I thank the people for normality in north Gujarat and Mahesana.

Congress leaders are demanding re postmortem in presence of party leader Babu Mangukiya and also demanding arrest of cops responsible for death of theft case accused Patidar community youth even before probe into the case by Chief Judicial Magistrate is over. The family of victim has refused to accept dead body. Victim Ketan Patel was accused of Rs 9500 theft. He was arrested on complaint of one Bharat Barot. He was sent to sub jail by court after due procedure of law. He was taken to hospital from jail where he died according to police version. Postmortem of his dead body has revealed 39 external injury marks. Opposition Congress party has given this incident a Patidar twist and propelled it outside the small village Balol to entire north Gujarat. The state is going to witness assembly elections later this year and Congress is banking big on Patidar community votes to add significant number of seats.

Update: Re postmortem of victim Ketan Patel’s body will be done on Friday

Meanwhile, number of programmes in presence of BJP ministers, MLAs and others related to annual school enrollment drive were organized throughout the day at places across north Gujarat and there was no impact of bandh. Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad addressed two gatherings at Modasa and Himmatnagar in north Gujarat. He also addressed a press conference. Minister Nitin Patel attended a school enrollment drive function in Mahesana rural, minister Shankar Chaudhary and union MoS Haribhai Chaudhary also attended school enrollment drive functions in Banaskantha district of north Gujarat.

DeshGujarat