Surat Anti Mob Lynching Rally violence case: 40 more arrested for rioting and attempting to kill policemen (file footage of the incident) https://t.co/6Pim0r5KJb pic.twitter.com/8Gsx3geSRe

— DeshGujarat (@DeshGujarat) July 9, 2019

Surat: 40 more people were arrested today in connection with rioting and attack on police during a rally in Surat city of Gujarat recently which was taken out without proper official permission to protest against the alleged “mob lynching” incident of Jharkhand.

PI of Athwa lines police station in the city where the a case was lodged in this connection on the day of rally ie July 5, H R Kuwadiya today said that with 40 more arrests the total number of those nabbed in this connection has reached 49. He did not rule out more arrests as the investigation was on and the FIR mentioned a large number of unknown people.

‘Earlier 9 people were nabbed. We have booked all of them under the sections of IPC pertaining to rioting and attempt of murder while attacking the police (307),’ he said.

Notably, police had to resort to firing of over half a dozen tear gas shells and two round of bullet firing in air in Athwa lines area of the city on July 5 when a mob of people of mostly minority Muslim community tried to take out a rally against the alleged mob-lynching incident of Jharkhand despite denial of permission by the authorities and went on rampage targeting 4 vehicles and injuring 4 senior police officers.

Commissioner of Police Satish Sharma said that a group of Muslim community had earlier handed over a memorandum on the same issue to the district administration and after that another group sought permission to take out a rally from Chowk Bazar area to the collector office in Athwa-lines.

‘But they were denied permission as it was a working day and the area was crowded and also the matter was not of Gujarat. Despite that they were adamant on taking out the rally. When the police deployed on the spot tried to stop them, the mob started stone pelting damaging two police vehicles and as many BRTS buses. Four senior police officers ; a JCP, a DCP, an ACP and a PSI were injured. Police had to fire two rounds in air and at least 8 tear gas shells to control the mob. Over half a dozen people have been detained including the man who had sought permission for the rally ‘ he added.

He said that a case in this regard was lodged in the Athwa lines police station.

Meanwhile, number of local organizations including Saurashtra Patel Samaj, Bharwad Samaj, Vaishnav Samaj, Jain Samaj, Rana Samaj, Valmiki Samaj, Sikh Samaj, Modhvanik Samaj, Maihsurya Samaj, Mochi Samaj, Samast Kansara Samaj, Desai Anavil Samaj, Samast Brahm Samaj, Gurjar Kshatriya Samaj, Rohit Samaj, Purohit Samaj, Valatiya Prajapati Samaj and Hindu Yuva Vahini made representation before city police commissioner and district collector demanding strict actions against those involved in ‘law lynching’. They said those involve in mob violence caused damages to vehicles of locals in Nanpura Machhivad area.

A mob had started the rally on Juma day that day from Chowk bazar area. When they reached near Vivekanand circle police tried to stop them. The crowd become violent and started stone pelting.

DeshGujarat