Surat: New leader of Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) and close-aide of its former head Hardik Patel, Alpesh Kathiria was today arrested here along with nine others for rioting, misbehaving with police and stopping it from performing its duties.

Commissioner of Police Satish Sharma said that Alpesh who was unnecessarily trying to provoke the police for the past few days, today stopped the traffic police from picking up unlawfully parked vehicles in Varachha area of the city. He also abused the policemen on duty. When he was arrested, he sent message to his supporters who assembled outside the police station to lay a siege around it.

‘In the lock up also he shouted and abused the policemen and even threatened them. He used the language which the rowdies or street goons (Taporis and Mawalis) do. The police showed full restraint despite his provoking behaviour,’ the CP said.

Sharma said that Alpesh was for the past few days somehow trying to disturb the peace in the city perhaps to get highlighted as PAAS leader. But police won’t allow it.

‘He had yesterday went to Sarthana police station and misbehaved with policemen on duty. On December 25 despite notification regarding non assembling of more than 4 people, he and his supporters entered the collector’s premises without any prior permission. He is trying all out to provoke police but we are showing restraint. We also want to appeal to the locals to not to get provoked by their such designs. We also want to make one thing clear that be it PAAS people or any body else we can’t allow any one to disturb the peace,’ Sharma added.

He also said that other cases would also be lodged against Kathiria for his unlawful acts in Sarthana police station and collector office premises.

Notably, Kathiria was released from jail on December 9 after spending 111 days in jail after his arrest in two sedition cases and an attempt to murder case. On the same day Hardik had announced that Kathiria would lead the PAAS.

DeshGujarat